Who was the first Indian to pick up a five-wicket haul in IPL?
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) leg-spinner Asha Shobana became the first Indian player to bag a five-wicket haul in the WPL after her sensational performance helped her team complete an incredible turnaround against the UP Warriorz (UPW) on Saturday, February 24.
RCB began their WPL 2024 season with a thrilling two-run win and Shobana's 5/22 included the dramatic 17th over that turned the game on its head. UPW needed just 32 runs from 24 balls with six wickets in hand when Shobana weaved magic with her wrist spin.
She picked up the wickets of Shweta Sehrawat, Grace Harris, and Kiran Navgire in the same over and sent the home fans into delirium at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Like the IPL, the WPL has also become a grand stage for Indian cricketers to showcase their talent, and performances like Asha Shobana's are a validation of the same.
While Asha Shobana became the first Indian with a fifer in WPL, who held the same record in the IPL?
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji was the first Indian player to pick up a five-wicket haul in the IPL. He achieved the feat during the 31st game of the league's inaugural edition in 2008 against the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).
S Badrinath (64 off 47 balls) and skipper MS Dhoni (60* off 43) helped CSK reach a daunting total of 181/4 in their 20 overs. In reply, KXIP kept losing wickets at regular intervals despite Shaun Marsh scoring a fine half-century (58 off 38). Balaji picked up the wickets of Ramnaresh Sarwan and then Marsh to derail Punjab's chase.
Irfan Pathan played an absolute blinder, scoring 40 runs off just 18 balls including three fours and as many sixes. It seemed like he had brought Punjab's chase back on track. However, with 19 runs needed off four balls, Lakshmipathy Balaji picked up the first-ever IPL hattrick, sending back Pathan, Piyush Chawla, and VRV Singh.
Balaji deservedly won the Player of the Match award for his sensational figures of 5/24. It was the second five-wicket haul in the history of the tournament, with former Pakistan and Rajasthan Royals (RR) speedster Sohail Tanvir getting the maiden fifer earlier that season.