IPL History: The countdown for IPL 2020 has officially begun as the entire cricket world gets ready to see a different season of the world’s best T20 competition. ICC postponed the ICC T20 World Cup and allowed the BCCI to conduct the IPL during the same window. United Arab Emirates is hosting the IPL this year, and for the first time in 11 years, an entire IPL season will be played in a foreign nation.
The first match of IPL will be played between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. These two teams had met in the final of IPL 2019. Every year it is interesting to see which player hits the first run, four, six, and wicket. In this article, we will look at the list of bowlers who took the first wicket in the last IPL seasons.
2019 – Harbhajan Singh
Last year, Chennai Super Kings battled the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL season opener. The home side Chennai tormented Bangalore. Harbhajan Singh delivered the first blow to RCB as he sent skipper Virat Kohli back to the pavilion.
2018 – Deepak Chahar
Chennai Super Kings competed in the opening match of IPL 2018 against Mumbai Indians. Medium pacer Deepak Chahar scalped the first wicket of the season by trapping Evin Lewis in front of the stumps.
2017 – Aniket Choudhary
Sunrisers Hyderabad battled Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first match of IPL 2017. Bangalore’s fast bowler dismissed David Warner in the second over to register his name in the history books.
2016 – Ishant Sharma
MS Dhoni and Mumbai Indians met in the first match of IPL 2016 as Rising Pune Supergiant thrashed Mumbai by nine wickets. Ishant Sharma dismissed Rohit Sharma on his first ball to get things going for Pune.
2015 – Morne Morkel
Mumbai Indians faced Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match of IPL 2015. South African speedster and former Purple Cap winner Morne Morkel dismissed Aaron Finch to pick up the first wicket of the season.
2014 – Lasith Malinga
Mumbai Indians battled Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2014 as well, and another former Purple Cap winner Lasith Malinga dismissed Gautam Gambhir for a duck to get off the mark in IPL 2014.
IPL History: 2013 – Brett Lee
Brett Lee famously cleaned up former India U-19 team captain Unmukt Chand in a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils that opened the IPL in 2013.
2012 – James Franklin
Mumbai Indians locked horns with Chennai Super Kings in the first game of IPL 2012. The first batsman dismissed was Faf du Plessis who got run out, and then James Franklin dismissed Murali Vijay in the final powerplay over.
2011 – Iqbal Abdulla
Kolkata Knight Riders met the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2011 curtain-raiser. The Knights lost the match by two runs but their left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla etched his name in the history books by dismissing Murali Vijay.
IPL History: 2010 – Chaminda Vaas
Deccan Chargers kicked off their title defense in 2010 with a match against Kolkata Knight Riders. Although Deccan lost that match Chaminda Vaas gave them a solid start by getting the wicket of Manoj Tiwary on the first ball. Vaas name will always be remembered in IPL History.
2009 – Thilan Thushara
A surprising name to feature on the list of IPL History is Sri Lankan speedster Thilan Thushara. Mumbai and CSK clashed with each other once again and Thushara got off the mark by sending Sanath Jayasuriya back to the pavilion.
2008 – Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is the first bowler in IPL history to pick up a wicket. Khan achieved this feat against Kolkata Knight Riders by sending Sourav Ganguly back to the dressing room.
