Shahbaz Ahmed: Tough man for tough situations

Cliff-hangers, tormenting bowling spells and some outwardly batting performances, we couldn't have asked for a better start to the 14th edition of the IPL. As we draw close to the end of the first week, it's safe to say that the week belonged to the uncapped players. The tournament has always offered a platform for uncapped players to showcase their abilities. Needless to say, the league has lived up to the motto inscribed on the trophy - Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi, which means “where talent meets opportunity.” While Harshal Patel delivered the goods last week, yet another youngster emerged as a stellar performer in the last night’s encounter. 

October 1, 2019 - Bengal had lost half their side with the scorecard just reading 21 while chasing a steep target of 287. The tall and lanky all-rounder came to the crease tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding Bengal's run chase against a potent Tamil Nadu bowling attack. Shahbaz with his unwavering dedication and grit, weaved a commendable century, albeit in a loss. Two months later in a different format, Bengal were poised at a similar juncture needing 126 runs with five wickets in hand. A familiar face, who was accustomed to these situations, walked out to the middle. Deriving the learnings from his previous experience, Shahbaz Ahmed's resilient 133-ball 61* ensured that the visitors pulled off a heist against Rajasthan, where a victory appeared out of sight.

Fast forward to 2021, he was handed the ball in the 15th over against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The pitch offered great assistance to the spinners. He kept the batsmen on a tight leash, conceding only 5 runs in his first over. He was again entrusted to bowl in the all-important 17th over. They say difficult situations bring out the best in some people. With a well-set Manish Pandey and Jonny Bairstow at the crease, several people pinned their hopes on the chasing team. The equation was pretty simple. 35 runs off 24 balls. The chase was just deemed as a formality with Sunrisers cruising at 115-2. T20 cricket, as we all know, is a funny game. All it takes is one outwardly performance to turn the game on its head. It was that phase of a game where the margin for error was very minimal.  A phase, where it could swing the game in his balance or take it completely away from his team.  The game-changing moment arrived in the 17th over. Shahbaz changed the complexion of the game altogether by dismissing a well-set Manish Pandey, Jonny Bairstow and Abdul Samad in just one over.  He had all but taken the game away from the Sunrisers. The three instances demonstrates how he continues to thrive under pressure. His spectacular bowling performance helped RCB snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Shahbaz Ahmed thanked his skipper for showing faith in him at such a crucial juncture of the game. 

“It was a tough situation, but I am happy that the captain trusted my ability. There was a bit of help from the surface and I exploited it. I was confident about bowling another over, but Siraj was bowling well and deserved to bowl. Bairstow's catch was important (considering the situation), and I was happy that I got to hold another chance," the all-rounder said.