Kuldeep Yadav made a triumphant return to Delhi Capitals’ (DC) playing XI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after recovering from an injury, immediately making a significant impact. His comeback was marked by dismissing two key batters, Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran, on consecutive deliveries, disrupting LSG’s promising start to the match.

Disruption of LSG’s promising start

Captain KL Rahul and his opening partner Quinton de Kock started off steadily, accumulating a respectable 28 runs for the first wicket. However, their partnership was halted by Khaleel Ahmed, who dismissed De Kock. Following de Kock’s dismissal, Lucknow’s batting lineup crumbled, resembling a pack of cards, with Kuldeep further exacerbating their setback.

Kuldeep Yadav’s wicket of Marcus Stoinis

In the eighth over of Lucknow’s innings, Kuldeep delivered a masterful ball, skillfully flighted and enticing Stoinis to go for a big shot. Stoinis took the bait but could only manage a leading edge, providing a straightforward catch to Ishant Sharma stationed at short third man. The frustration on Stoinis’ face was palpable as he trudged back to the pavilion, venting his disappointment by forcefully smashing his bat.

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Nicholas Pooran’s deceptive dismissal

The dismissal of Pooran demonstrated the finesse and cunning of Kuldeep’s bowling. With impeccable flight and subtle drift, Yadav outfoxed the in-form batter, luring Pooran into misjudging the line of the delivery. Pooran, deceived by the movement, failed to connect with the ball properly, allowing it to slip between his bat and pad and crash into the stumps. The sudden fall of Pooran’s wicket left him and the Lucknow’s supporters utterly stunned by Kuldeep’s brilliance on the field.

Here’s the video:

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗣! 🔄 😍

Kuldeep Yadav straight away unveiling his magic!👌👌

Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱#TATAIPL | #LSGvDC | @imkuldeep18 pic.twitter.com/pzfIQYpqnA

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 12, 2024

Decisive blow in form of KL Rahul’s setback

Kuldeep inflicted another significant setback on Lucknow’s innings by dismissing Rahul, who edged the ball to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant behind the stumps, dealing another blow to Lucknow’s chances in the match. With this crucial wicket, Kuldeep further compounded the pressure on Lucknow’s batting lineup. Finishing his four-over spell with remarkable figures of 3/20, Kuldeep emerged as a pivotal figure in Delhi’s bowling line-up.

Fight back by Ayush Badoni

Despite the pressure created by Kuldeep and the other Delhi bowlers, young Ayush Badoni showcased remarkable resilience and took the fight to Delhi by launching a blistering counter-attack with the bat. He formed a crucial partnership of 73 runs for the ninth wicket with pacer Arshad Khan, lifting Lucknow’s total to a respectable 167/7. Badoni’s fearless batting display included his third fifty in IPL history, as he scored 55 runs off just 34 balls, comprising five fours and one maximum.

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