By India Today Sports Desk: 29-year-old Akash Madhwal was the latest uncapped player to grab the limelight in the Indian Premier League as the Mumbai Indians pacer came up with one of the iconic bowling spells in the high-pressure IPL 2023 Eliminator match against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday, May 24 in Chennai.
Akash Madhwal ran through Lucknow Super Giants’ batting order as Mumbai Indians successfully defended 182 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, picking up his maiden T20 5-wicket haul.
Akash Madhwal, a Civil Engineer who played only tennis ball cricket until a couple of years ago, came up with a sensational spell of fast bowling, getting the key Lucknow batters, including Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, and Prerak Mankad. It was Madhwal, who struck with the new ball by removing Mankad and then got Badoni and Pooran in the same over to derail Lucknow’s chase.
IPL Eliminator: LSG vs MI Highlights
Madhwal completed his 5-wicket haul with a fine yorker to Mohsin Khan that sealed Mumbai Indians’ passage to the Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans on Friday.
Akash Madhawal, who was signed up by Mumbai Indians as Suryakumar Yadav’s replacement player in IPL 2022, was given an opportunity midway through the season after MI’s pace star Jofra Archer picked up an injury. Madhwal, who was a pro with the tennis ball before he took to professional cricket, started as a death-over specialist because of his ability to nail yorkers but captain Rohit Sharma backed him to deliver with the new ball also.
After picking up only 1 wicket in his first 3 matches, Akash Madhwal has taken 12 in his last 4 matches in the IPL.
He picked up 3 for 31 against Gujarat Titans, 4 for 37 against SunRisers Hyderabad in a must-win match on May 21 and followed it up with the sensational 5 for 5 in the Eliminator.
AKASH MADHWAL’S HISTORIC SPELL IN NUMBERS
- 5 for 5: It’s the best-ever figures in the knockout match of a franchise tournament. Mohammad Sami’s had held the record with figures of 5 for 8 in PSL 2016 for Islamabad United.
- 5 for 5: The best figures in a knockout game in the history of the IPL.
- 3.3-0-5-5: The most economical 5-wicket haul in the history of the IPL, bettering Anil Kumble’s figures of 3.1-0-5-5 for RCB against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2009.
- 5 for 5: Akash Madhwal also has the best bowling figures by an uncapped player in the IPL, going past Ankit Rajpoot’s 5 for 14 for Punjab Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2018.
- 3: Most run-outs by a team in an IPL innings – Lucknow Super Giants against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023 Eliminator.
- 101 – 3rd lowest total in IPL playoffs after Deccan Charger’s 82 vs RCB in 2010 an Delhi Capitals’ 87 vs Rajasthan Royals in 2008 semi-final.
Akash Madhwal took his tally in IPL 2023 to 13 wickets in 7 matches. He has an impressive economy rate of 7.77.
Mumbai Indians will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 and Akash Madhwal will be pumped up for the contest after having picked up 3 wickets in their previous meeting in IPL 2023.