Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Krunal Pandya had a forgettable day at the office against Delhi Capitals (DC). After registering a single-digit score and contributing to LSG's collapse, he was ineffective with the ball and was taken to the cleaners by a young Jake Fraser-McGurk on debut. In his first over, it was Prithvi Shaw who hit two boundaries. But in the 13th over of the innings, he had no answer to Fraser-McGurk who hit him for three sixes in a row. In retaliation, the left-arm spinner stunned everyone by bowling a bouncer to the 22-year-old.
To start his second over, Krunal bowled an arm ball. Fraser-McGurk cleared his front leg and smashed it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. On the second ball, he held his shape and whacked it over deep extra cover for another six. Krunal did not take the pace off the ball and darted one outside off stump. This time he hit it over long-off for third six in a row.
Once again, Krunal did not take the pace off and bowled a bouncer clocking at 116kmph. Fraser-McGurk wasn't ready for it and ducked under it. Skipper KL Rahul collected it over his shoulders. He wasn't pleased with the bouncer as it was called a wide.
Not Krunal’s first bouncer
This is not the first time Krunal bowled a bouncer He did it against West Indies in an T20I game in 2018 which left everyone surprised including batter Carlos Brathwaite, India's Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. He bowled one to Punjab Kings (PBKS) Liam Livingstone as well.
Krunal’s expensive spell
Despite bowling two expensive overs, Rahul trusted him with another over as two right-handed batters Tristan Stubbs and Shai Hope operated in the middle. Krunal did not go for a boundary but conceded eight runs in the over. Overall, he conceded 45 runs from three overs.
This was by far the most expensive spell by Krunal in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. In the previous game, he was exceptional against Gujarat Titans at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow. He conceded just 11 runs and picked up three wickets from his quota of four overs.
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