IPL 2008's Purple Cap winner dazzles on Nepal Premier League debut with 5 for 21, strikes first ball; watch video

The Indian Premier League (IPL) inaugural edition's Purple Cap winner Sohail Tanvir wreaked havoc on his Nepal Premier League (NPL) debut with a match-winning five-wicket haul. Soon-to-be 40-year-old Pakistan's left-arm pacer helped Chitwan Rhinos restrict Kathmandu Gurkhas' score to 111/9 and register a comfortable five-wicket win. 

Chitwan Rhinos skipper Kushal Malla won the toss and opted to bowl first. With his first ball in NPL 2024, Tanvir got the wicket of wicketkeeper-batter Stephen Eskinazi. He was hit for two consecutive fours by Michael Levitt in the same over. In the fourth over, Tanvir had the last laugh as he ended Levitt's cameo. He scored 25 runs from 16 balls including four fours and a six.

He continued to bowl in the powerplay overs and trapped Bhim Sharki in front of the stumps. Sharki attempted a scoop but Tanvir beat him with the angle from around the wicket.  He was brought back into the attack in the penultimate over. He conceded just two runs and got the wickets of skipper Karan KC and Shahab Alam.  The experienced campaigner conceded 21 runs to take the fifer. Apart from Tanvir, Rijan Dhakal, Malla, Amar Routela and Luc Benkenstein claimed one wicket each. 

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In the run chase, Tanvir's services were not needed. Alam got three wickets for 20 runs but it wasn't enough to stop Chitwan Rhinos from chasing down the target with 17 balls to spare. Santosh Karki and Sharad Vesawkar's unbeaten scores of 31-ball 28 and 21-ball 11 took Chitwan Rhinos over the line.

Tanvir will be seen in action when Rhinos lock horns with Pokhara Avengers on December 3.

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Tanvir's unique firsts 

Interestingly, 16 years ago, Tanvir also became the first bowler to take five or more wickets in the IPL. For Royals, he claimed six wickets for just 14 runs in his quota of 14 overs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). CSK were bowled out for 109 and RR won the game by eight wickets.

In his debut season, he beat his captain Shane Warne and Kings XI Punjab's (now Punjab Kings) S Sreesanth to occupy the top spot with 22 wickets from 11 games.