Zaheer Khan is one of the best fast bowlers of all time. The left-arm seamer was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup, alongside Shahid Afridi. He ended up as one of the greatest new-ball bowlers of all time, especially to left-handers as he was a master of reverse swing. Zaheer started his domestic career by playing for Baroda. In the early years of his career, he was known for his seam and pace bowling.
He was a part of the team that was the joint-winner of the 2002 Champions Trophy and one of the key members of the 2011 World Cup. He led the pace attack in the 2011 World Cup, with 21 wickets in just 9 games. After 2011 he was awarded the Arjuna Award. The pacer was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2008. He was with the champion team of Mumbai Indians and has been the bowling coach for them.
Here are the top 3 spells of Zaheer Khan in the IPL
3. 3/21 vs Deccan Chargers at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in 2010
Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to bat first. Mumbai Indians did not get the start they needed with their skipper. Sachin was the only one standing on one end and other batters fell at regular intervals. But an 18-ball 49 from veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh made sure MI could make a defendable score of 172 runs for a loss of 7 wickets. Tendulkar was their highest run scorer as the batter scored 55 runs off 43 deliveries.
In reply, the Deccan Chargers lost their skipper Adam Gilchrist without scoring, leaving them 0 for 1. But a young Rohit Sharma made sure to put up a fight against MI but was eventually dismissed by Zaheer Khan. The veteran pacer went on to take 3 wickets for 21 runs and made sure DC could not achieve the target. It was Zak’s one of the best bowling spells in the IPL.
2. 3/20 vs RPS at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in 2017
Batting first, Delhi Daredevils(now Delhi Capitals) made a huge score of 205/4 in their 20 overs. Sanju Samson scored his maiden hundred in the IPL. Delhi lost their opener Aditya Tare without scoring, but Sam Billings and Sanju made a decent partnership. In the end, explosive knocks by Rishabh Pant and former South African all-rounder Chris Morris’s 38 off balls made sure the team went past the 200-run mark.
In response, Rising Pune Supergiant were never into the game as they lost quick wickets. Zaheer Khan bowled his second-best spell in the IPL. The veteran pacer picked the two openers Ajinkya Rahane and Mayank Agarwal, and later picked a wicket of Deepak Chahar. He finished his spell with 3 for 20 in 3 overs he bowled.
1. 4/17 vs CSK at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2013
In an 8-over match as per the DLS, Royal Challengers Bangalore batted first and scored 106/2. Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques’s cameo made sure they scored past hundred runs. Kohli was unbeaten with 56 runs off 29 deliveries, hitting nine fours and four sixes with his Caribbean partner Gayle scoring 28 off 13 balls. In the end, Henriques 3 balls 12 made sure they scored past 100 runs.
In response, Zaheer Khan made sure that Chennai Super Kings did not achieve the target of 107 runs. Zak picked up 4 wickets in his two overs giving out just 17 runs in that spell and gave RCB a 24-run victory over CSK.