Ankit Rajpoot record best ever bowling figures for KXIP

Ankit Rajpoot took the first five-wicket haul of the Indian Premier League this year as KXIP restricted 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad to 132/6 in their 20 overs.

Ankit Rajpoot made his debut in 2013 and he played again in 2016 and then in 2017.

In 2018, he has only played three matches for Kings XI Punjab but he outshines everyone else in his third game.

Rajpoot recorded the best ever bowling figures for KXIP in the IPL history. He is the only second bowler to grab a five-wicket haul for Punjab.

Dimitri Mascarenhas had picked 5/25 against Pune Warriors in 2012. Apart from him, L Balaji (4/13) and Karanveer Singh (4/15) are third and fourth in the list.

In his first two overs, he dismissed Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan in his first two overs. In his third over, he picked Wriddhiman Saha’s wicket to finish with figures of 3 for 9 off his three overs.

In his last over, he removed Manish Pandey and Mohammad Nabi to return with figures of 5 for 14 in his four overs.

“Everyone who plays the games, practices hard before the game and it is not at all an easy job,” Rajpoot said after the match.

“I got a little help from the wicket and then I used my pace, variations and slow balls to effect. I had planned about the areas to bowl and fortunately it all worked out well,” he added.

Not the result we would have liked, but happy with the first half of the tournament.5 out of 7 we will take it. Have a week’s break now. Congratulations @SunRisers on the victory & a great effort from young Ankit Rajpoot becoming the first Punjab bowler to take a 5-for #SRHvKXIP

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 26, 2018