Mohammed Siraj made headlines on Wednesday night, bowling a spell for the ages. The Royal Challengers fast bowler produced figures of 3/8 from his four overs, including two maidens making him the first bowler to do so. However, Siraj alone doesn’t deserve credit for his breath-taking spell against Kolkata Knight Riders. Props to RCB captain Virat Kohli, who produced a master-stroke top make Siraj open the bowling and operate with the new ball.
After the match, Player of the Match Siraj revealed what Kohli told him before handing him over the new ball.
“First I want to thank Allah for my performance. Then thanks to Virat for giving me the new ball. I have been practising a lot with the new ball, Siraj said. “We hadn’t planned that I will open but when we went out, Virat bhai said Miyan ready ho jao. [Sir, get ready.]. The ball to Rana was very good. Executed exactly what I had planned.”
Siraj elaborated what it meant to finally bowl with the new ball. It had been a long time since the fast bowler was given the new ball, perhaps because of his high economy run-rate, but when the opportunity came for the 26-year-old, Siraj ensured he did not waste it.
“The initial plan for was me to come first change. But the moment I entered the ground, Virat bhai informed me,” Siraj said. “It was after a long time that I got the new ball. The last time it happened was during my first IPL year, when I’d bowled against Sunrisers Hyderabad (in 2017). After that today, I got the opportunity to bowl with the new all today, so it felt great.”
Source: IPLT20.com