Top 5 Best Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL

Best Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL

Given how the shortest format of the game favours the batters, many experts like to believe that an orthodox fast bowler with raw pace will be a failure at this format. While some accomplished pacers have struggled in this format of the game, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada is a good example to prove that classic, orthodox pace bowling with a good line and length is effective at every format of the game.

Kagiso Rabada was bought by the Delhi Capitals in 2017, and since then, he has been the spearhead of their bowling attack. After an average first season, Rabada was unavailable in the 2018 season. But the last season can be considered as coming of age for him, as Rabada finally showcased what everyone knew he was capable of.

5 Best Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL

The youngster not only picked up 25 wickets from 12 overs but also maintained an economy rate of under 8 runs per over which is very rare for a pacer in the Indian Premier League.

Let us have a look at 5 Top Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL:

5. 2/20 vs Kolkata Knight Riders

We start off this list with a sublime spell that came in his first season in India. Batting first, Delhi Capitals, then known as Delhi Daredevils, managed to put up a total of 160. Rabada was on the money from the very beginning, and with just his second ball, he got the wicket of KKR opener Sunil Narine.

Later on, in the innings, he got the wicket of Manish Pandey, who was back than enjoying the form of his life. Besides that, he also maintained a commendable economy rate of exactly run-a-ball. Unfortunately for Delhi, they ended up as the losing side despite Rabada’s brilliance.

4. 2/28 vs Gujarat Lions

While keeping a stringent economy rate in a match where not many runs were scored is plausible, maintaining an economy rate of 7 runs per over in a game where both sides scored over 200 runs is outrageously brilliant. Such an instance occurred when Delhi took on the currently defunct franchise Gujarat Lions back in 2017.

Once again impressive from the beginning, Rabada victimised Brendon McCullum with his first ball of the match. Later on, in the innings, he took the wicket of Aussie batter Aaron Finch, who was looking menacing. Despite his efforts, Lions scored 208 runs. But this time around, Rabada did end up on the winning side as Rishabh Pant‘s brilliance sealed a win for Delhi.

3. 2/23 vs Mumbai Indians

Top Bowling Performance of Kagiso Rabada in IPL: After not playing a single game in the 2018 season, many thought that Kagiso Rabada would struggle to find his footing in 2019. But that was not the case to be as he was on fire in Delhi’s very first match of the season. In the match against Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals piled up a humongous score of 213.

This time, however, he was not given the new ball. After a solid foundation by Quinton de Kock, it was time for the veteran Yuvraj Singh to show his class. The old warhorse had just scored his half-century when the South African torpedo got his wicket. He later added to his wickets tally by dismissing all-rounder Ben Cutting. Once again, Rabada was Delhi’s most economical bowler of the match.

2. 4/22 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

It does not happen often that in an IPL career that is not even 20-matches long, we get to see two four-wicket hauls. However, Rabada is not any other run-of-the-mill pacer. One such four-wicket haul came in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season. Chasing a low total of just 155, Hyderabad went off to a flying start.

But Rabada soon got Delhi back into the game by getting the wicket of David Warner. He then carried his onslaught forward and soon found another prey in the form of all-rounder Vijay Shankar. Later on, the rattled Hyderabad’s tail and got the wickets of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed to complete what was his second four-wicket haul in IPL.

1. 4/21 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Rabada’s first IPL 4-wicket haul, which came just days before his second one, is undoubtedly the Best Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL. This is mostly because of the fact of the importance of the wickets he picked up in this particular game against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

His first victim was AB de Villiers, and he got the better of opposition skipper Virat Kohli. He later picked up the wickets of Akshdeep Nath and Pawan Negi in the same over. Rabada’s spell helped Capitals restrict RCB to just 149, which they chased down easily.

5 Best Bowling Performances of Kagiso Rabada in IPL

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