Vaibhav Arora. (Source -Twitter/X)
Vaibhav Arora returned to his hometown Ambala after helping Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) win their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title and first in 10 years. The right-arm pacer received a hero’s welcome upon his return, as fans showered him with love.
Several fans welcomed the 26-year-old with garlands and cheered for him. In a viral video, Arora can be seen ambushed by fans requesting for selfies with the entire town celebrating his accomplishments, grooving to the beats of Dhol. He fulfilled the wishes of the fans patiently, beaming with satisfaction and gratitude.
Vaibhav Arora received a hero’s welcome as he returns to his hometown after KKR’s IPL win. 💜 pic.twitter.com/dkMkttLQWi
— Harsh (@NotSoH4rsh) May 31, 2024
The talented seamer was one of the standout performers for the Shreyas Iyer-led side during the season as he scalped 11 wickets from 10 matches at an average of 25.09 and an economy of 8.24. He took vital wickets for KKR inside the powerplay and complimented Mitchell Starc commendably.
Arora’s standout moment of the season came during his first match against Delhi Capitals, where he registered figures of 3/27 in his four overs. His three-wicket haul included the big scalp of the in-form Delhi captain Rishabh Pant. The right-arm seamer further picked up 2/28 in four overs against Chennai Super Kings albeit in a losing cause.
Arora bagged one wicket each in Qualifier 1 and the final. In Qualifier 1, he accounted for the wicket of Abhishek Sharma before dismissing Travis Head in the finals. He has 19 wickets to his name from 20 matches at an average of 30.84 and aeconomy rate of 9.18.
Arora received a lot of praise from the commentators for his ability to swing the ball. In helpful conditions, the former Punjab Kings pacer bowled three overs on the trot inside the powerplay in the final and finished with figures of 1/24 in his three overs. He will want to build on this performance and go from strength to strength.