Tahir ready to rock former team Daredevils
It would be wrong to say I’m here to prove something, but I wanted to be in the challenge to see where I am; if I wasn’t picked for the auction, then (see) what the reason was
Imran Tahir was an impressive performer for Delhi Daredevils over the last two seasons, which included a 15-wicket haul in the Indian Premier League 2015.
Last season, the leg-spinner took only five wickets and the franchise released the South Africa bowler. To add to his woes, he also went unsold in the players’ auction before IPL 2017.
However, injury to Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh provided an opening in Rising Pune Supergiant and the 38-year-old has struck early, claiming five wickets in the first two matches to emerge the joint-highest wickettaker with Afghan tweaker, Rashid Khan, of Sunrisers Hyderabad. “I was sad when the auction happened, and the last two years… I’ve been performing. I’m not saying that, the stats say that. But as a cricketer, life goes on,” he told a media interaction on Monday.
“Before I arrived, I was trying to improve my fitness for the Champions Trophy. I didn’t want to come here at all. But then, I’m grateful to Pune that they gave me an opportunity.”
Though he denied, hurt of the initial rejection was evident. “It would be wrong to say I’m here to prove something, but I wanted to be in the challenge to see where I am; if I wasn’t picked for the auction, then (see) what the reason was.”
Tahir, who tops the ICC bowlers’ rankings in ODI and T20, had picked three wickets in the first match against Mumbai Indians to hand his side a home win.
Still, bowling is a bit of a concern for Pune Supergiant. Seamer Ashok Dinda set a dubious tournament record after he was hammered for 30 runs off the last over against MI, and against Kings XI Punjab, no bowler could build pressure as they chased down 163 with an over to spare.
Tahir, however, said it was too early to criticise Supergiant’s death-over bowling and consistency. He lauded Aussie leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who had a terrific season last year, and returned 1/26 against MI.
“He’s a great bowler, and playing for Australia, it’s not easy,” he said. “I play in my own way and don’t think I’m playing with Zampa and need to do better than him. As long as we both play the roles we’ve been given by the team, we’re pretty much on the happy side, and most probably on the winning side.”
RIZVI CHAMPIONS
Rizvi College quelled the chal lenge of Podar College by 174 runs to emerge champions in the two day final of the Saqib Rizvi Memo rial Trophy Inter-collegiate Cricket Tournament.
Rizvi struck half centuries through Atharva Ankolekar (72*), Varun Lavande (94) and Eshan Wagh (68) to post a huge total of 394 for eight before Podar College collapsed at a total of 219 as Rizvi’s left-arm spinner Satyak Patel (5/58) and medium-pacer Manas Raikar (3/59) did the bulk of the damage.