Delhi make 'mockery of cricket' in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, skipper Ayush Badoni deploys 11 bowlers
Published - 29 Nov 2024, 05:33 PM | Updated - 29 Nov 2024, 05:34 PM
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The Delhi cricket team has made history in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 by becoming the first team ever to use all 11 players as bowlers in a T20 match. They achieved this rare feat during their encounter against Manipur at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Friday (November 29).
Manipur won the toss and opted to bat first, giving Delhi captain and wicketkeeper-batter Ayush Badoni the perfect opportunity to implement his unconventional strategy at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. In a rare and unexpected move, Ayush Badoni himself bowled two overs, taking a wicket while maintaining a tight economy, including a maiden over.
Delhi creates history in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25; All 11 players bowled against Mirpur
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 match saw Aayush Singh and Akhil Chaudhary lead the charge with two overs each, while Harsh Tyagi, Divesh Rathi, and Mayank Rawat also took their share, each bowling three overs and claiming four wickets against Manipur.
In an extraordinary move, the remaining players—Aryan Rana, Himmat Singh, Priyansh Arya, Yash Dhull, and Anuj Rawat—also bowled one over each, showcasing Delhi's innovative team strategy and completing a historic performance.
Delhi's bowling attack, featuring 11 bowlers, restricted Manipur to a modest 120/8 in their 20 overs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This milestone broke the previous T20 record, where no team had used more than nine bowlers in an innings.
Delhi become the first team to use all 11 players to bowl in T20 history. Concede 120/8 in 20 against Manipur at the Wankhede Stadium. No team has ever used more than 9 bowlers in an innings before. #SyedMushtaqAliTrophy pic.twitter.com/gKDf2PRgeo
— Lalith Kalidas (@lal__kal) November 29, 2024
It followed a rare moment in Test cricket when India, captained by Sourav Ganguly, deployed all 11 players as bowlers against the West Indies in 2002. West Indies had won that five-match Test series by a 2-1 margin against India.
Yash Dhull's unbeaten fifty takes Delhi over the line against Mirpur in SMAT match
In the paltry target, Delhi successfully chased down 121 runs in the 19th over, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten half-century from opener Yash Dhull (59 not out) against Mirpur. Despite a shaky start where they were reduced to 44/4, Dhull remained steady at the crease.
Yash Dhull first partnered with Mayank Rawat (18) for a vital 40-run stand and later added 41 runs with Aryan Rana (13), guiding Delhi to a four-wicket win in 18.3 overs against Mirpur in their third game in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 at the Wankhede Stadium.
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With this memorable victory, Delhi continued its unbeaten streak in the tournament. They won their first two Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 games against Jammu and Kashmir by 35 runs and Haryana by six wickets, respectively, and now Mirpur by four wickets on Friday.
Dodda Ganesh slams Delhi's tactic
However, Delhi’s innovative tactic wasn’t approved by the former Indian pacer Dodda Ganesh. The commentator called this rare achievement a mockery of professional cricket.
Dodda Ganesh shared his views on social media: “This is mockery of professional cricket. There was no need for Delhi to do that. It just goes to show the quality of the plate teams.”
This is mockery of professional cricket. There was no need for Delhi to do that. It just goes to show the quality of the plate teams.
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) November 29, 2024
