Delhi secured their maiden victory in the IPL 2024 on March 31st by defeating Chennai. Seamer Khaleel Ahmed earned the Player of the Match accolade for his outstanding performance, claiming 2 wickets for 21 runs, including a maiden over. Reflecting on his achievement, Khaleel expressed his aspirations of representing India again and hoped that his recent displays would pave the way for his national team comeback.
“Of Course! The ultimate goal is to get back in the Indian team. It’s definitely the goal of mine. Kindly keep me blessed the same way,” Khaleel Ahmed said at the post-match presentation after DC vs CSK match.
Having last featured for India in 2019, primarily in white-ball cricket, Khaleel faced omission due to inconsistent performances. With 13 wickets from 14 T20I matches at an economy rate of nearly 9 runs per over, and 15 wickets from 11 ODIs at an economy of 5.81, Khaleel showcased his prowess. His impactful spell for Delhi Capitals disrupted Chennai Super Kings’ chase of 192 runs in Vizag, dismissing captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and the in-form Rachin Ravindra early on.
” It’s all because of my consistent hard work at the domestic level. I have played a lot of matches in the last six months which has helped me know my game better. I have worked hard to swing the ball, and now I am getting results for it,” Khaleel Ahmed added further.
Khaleel’s exceptional bowling, particularly troubling Ravindra, who managed only 2 runs off 12 balls before departing in the third over, showcased his skill in exploiting swing conditions, a result of his dedicated efforts during the Ranji Trophy season. Khaleel Ahmed picked 4/19 against Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy.
