IPL 2021: I’m glad Shahbaz Ahmed has proved himself - RCB's Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj; (right) Shahbaz Ahmed celebrates the wicket of SRH’s Jonny Bairstow on Wednesday. Pic/BCCI; IPL

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Mohammed Siraj gave full credit to left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed (2-0-7-3), who took three wickets in an over, leading to a six-run defeat for Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL-14 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.

"The wicket was slow and the ball was gripping well for the spinners. Shahbaz bowled really well. During our practice matches too, Shahbaz did well and that's the reason he was picked into the playing XI. It turned out to be a very good move for our team. I'm glad he has proved himself," Siraj, who took 2-25 as SRH finished on 143-9, said at the post-match virtual press conference on Wednesday night.

Shahbaz claims three

Earlier, RCB had scored 149-8 off their 20 overs. In reply, SRH were cruising and at one stage, needed just 35 runs to win off the last four overs with eight wickets in hand before Ahmed dismissed Jonny Bairstow (12 off 13 balls), Manish Pandey (38 off 39) and Abdul Samad (0) in the 17th over. Off the over's first deliver, he sent back Bairstow, who mistimed a sweep and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers took a running catch. Pandey failed to read Ahmed's next delivery and danced down the
track only to give an easy catch to Harshal Patel at short third man. Samad then tried to slog and only managed a return catch to Ahmed.

Siraj explained why Ahmed was introduced into attack in the 15th over as the team's seventh bowler. "At that time, there were two right-handed batsmen [Pandey and Bairstow] at the crease so Virat bhai [Kohli] thought a left-arm spinner should be brought on. We had [two] overs left of Washi [Washington Sundar] too. But, Shahbaz had bowled his first over splendidly where he nearly dismissed Pandey, so he got another over and that changed the game," added Siraj.

Kohli reprimanded

Meanwhile, RCB captain Kohli was reprimanded for breaching the IPL's Code of Conduct. "Kohli admitted to the Level 1 offence 2.2. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding," an IPL said in the statement. The Level 1 offence 2.2 relates to ‘abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match'.