T20 Mumbai League: Shivam Dubey roars for the Lions

The 24-year-old took a five-wicket haul and followed it up with a 23-ball unbeaten 47 to help Shivaji Park Lions defeat Triumph Knights

Shivam Dubey came good with the bat and ball for the Lions on Tuesday.

Unsold in the uncapped category at the IPL auction in Bengaluru two months ago, seamer all-rounder Shivam Dubey ought to have been a trifle disappointed. He is gifted and he showed that in ample measure to help his team to victory in style on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old, who made his Ranji Trophy debut against Karnataka in the quarterfinal this season, demonstrated his efficacy with the ball first for Shivaji Park Lions, taking the first fifer in the inaugural T20 Mumbai League against Triumph Knights (Mumbai North East) at the Wankhede Stadium. 

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Introduced in the eighth over by skipper Siddhesh Lad, Dubey rocked the top order of the Knights, dismissing openers Praful Waghela and Sumit Ghadigaonkar.  It was his clever fuller length that hit the rival captain Suryakumar Yadav on his back leg and in front though that set off a Knights collapse, from 115 for one in 13.2 overs to 152 all out.

Only Aditya Dhumal, among the last seven batsmen, put up resistance with a 13-ball unbeaten 19.  Once Dubey and left arm spinner, Shams Mulani, hastened the capitulation of the Knights, the Lions, mentored by Vinod Kambli, made a steady start with Bravesh Shetty, unperturbed by the exit of Sufiyan Shaikh, Hardik Tamore and Lad. 

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After taking the centre stage in the first session, Dubey returned to the scene of action, blasted two 4s and four sixes to enable his team score its first win in two matches. Fittingly, he lifted a six off seamer Atif Attarwala for a straight six, a winning shot that brought cheers to the Lions camp. 

Dubey’s electrifying effort with the bat (47 not out, 23 balls, 33 mts) eased the pressure on Shetty who held the innings together for one and half hours, faced 51 balls and struck three 4s and four 6s. It was Shetty’s second half-century in back to back matches and the fourth-wicket pair hit the ball hard and long to raise 63 runs off 33 balls.