NEW DELHI: Delhi created a unique chapter in cricket history on Friday, becoming the first team to deploy all 11 players as bowlers in a T20 match. The remarkable feat was achieved during their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy encounter against Manipur at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Manipur won the toss and opted to bat first, presenting Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni with an opportunity to execute this unconventional strategy.
Primarily a wicketkeeper, Badoni himself bowled two overs, claiming one wicket while maintaining a tight economy. His second over was a maiden, further highlighting the effectiveness of the approach.
Delhi’s 11 bowlers managed to restrict Manipur to 120/8 in their 20 overs.
Digvesh (2/8) and Harsh Tyagi (2/11) were the standout performers with the ball for Delhi, while Priyansh Arya (1/2) and Aayush Singh (1/7) also were among the wickets. Despite utilizing all their resources, Delhi could not bowl out Manipur, whose batters put up a gritty fight.
This achievement surpasses the previous record in T20 cricket, where no team had employed more than nine bowlers in an innings. It also mirrors a rare occurrence in Test cricket, most notably when India, under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy, used all 11 players to bowl against the West Indies in 2002.
Delhi’s innovative tactic underscores the flexibility and unpredictability in the shortest format of the game, offering a fresh perspective on team dynamics and strategy.
Delhi's bowling card:
