Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has finally got to play his maiden IPL 2020 game against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Monday (November 2) and even managed to find the attention with his bowling show amongst RCB’s top-ranked bowling attack in Abu Dhabi.

DC might have won the match by six wickets with six balls to spare, but for Shahbaz, it was a special game as the all-rounder finished with impressive figures of 2/26 in his IPL debut game and he was over the moon after dismissing well-set Shikhar Dhawan for 54 as his maiden IPL wicket on Monday.

Defending 153, Shahbaz took the crucial wickets of Dhawan and DC skipper Shreyas Iyer but unfortunately, RCB couldn’t save the game but managed to qualify for the IPL 13 playoffs.

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Shahbaz said at the post-match press conference in Abu Dhabi, “Today's match was crucial for us and it's good that we had a better run-rate so we have qualified despite the loss. The intensity to win the game is one of the positive for us.”

The all-rounder further added, “The practice camp started before IPL has helped me. And the first wicket in IPL that too of Shikhar Dhawan is a special feeling.”

Shahbaz feels RCB fell 15 runs short of the par score against the DC at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium which got a lot better in the second innings on Monday. 

He signed off, “Wicket was good to bat and eventually became better in the second innings because of dew. We had a discussion; we were actually 15 runs short as the wicket was slow in the first innings.”

(With ANI Inputs)