In the GT vs PBKS match, veteran pacer Umesh Yadav etched his name in the record books of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gujarat Titans’ (GT) star bowler secured the opening breakthrough while defending 200 runs target against Punjab Kings (PBKS). In his very first over, Umesh dismissed PBKS’ captain Shikhar Dhawan for just 1 run, and he registered a unique record to his name.
Also Read: The Rise of Angkrish Raghuvanshi From Hospital Rooms to IPL Stardom
Gujarat Titans were playing against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While batting first GT posted a huge total of 199 runs. During GT’s bowling, Umesh Yadav dismissed Shikhar Dhawan for a mere 1 run. This crucial wicket not only marked Umesh’s 34th wicket against Punjab Kings but also made him the bowler with the most wickets against a single team in IPL history.
While doing so, he surpassed some of the biggest names in IPL bowling – Mohit Sharma, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Here’s a look at the highest wicket-takers against a particular team in IPL history.
- Umesh Yadav (34 wickets) vs Punjab Kings
- Mohit Sharma (33 wickets) vs Mumbai Indians
- Sunil Narine (33 wickets) vs Punjab Kings
- Dwayne Bravo (33 wickets) vs Mumbai Indians
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (32 wickets) vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Perfect sight for #GT 👌👌
Umesh Yadav gets skipper Shikhar Dhawan 🙌
After 3 overs, it's 27/1
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/0Sy2civoOa #TATAIPL | #GTvPBKS pic.twitter.com/2JH7Hc5bgo
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 4, 2024
This record of the 36-year-old is even more impressive considering he has played for 5 different IPL franchises in his career. He started his IPL journey with Delhi Capitals in 2010 (then Delhi Daredevils) and spent 4 seasons there till 2013. In 2014 he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He donned the purple jersey for two separate stints – from 2014 to 2017 and again in 2022-2023.
Umesh also had a successful stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) from 2018 to 2020. With RCB, Umesh registered his best IPL season with 20 wickets in 14 games in 2018. In 2021 he returned to the franchise for which he played the first game of his IPL career – Delhi Capitals. Now, in IPL 2024 he is leading the pace attack for Gujarat Titans.
Meanwhile, Umesh Yadav might not be a regular member of the Indian team anymore, whether in Test, ODIs or T20 but he has proven his worth from time to time in IPL. His ability to generate genuine raw pace and swing the ball early on remains a lethal weapon to destroy any batting line-up.
