IPL 2020: Mohammed Shami joins 50-wicket club

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Bengaluru, October 10: Kings XI Punjab paceman Mohammed Shami joined the list of bowlers to take fifty wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.

He accomplished the feat while dismissing Kolkata Knight Riders opener Rahul Tripathi in Match 24 of IPL 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday (October 10).

Coming into the match, Shami was just one wicket away from completing the milestone and he did it in some style by cleaning up Tripathi with a full length ball.

In the previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he managed to pick one and completed 100 wickets in Twenty20 cricket.

Shami who began his IPL career in 2008 was KXIP's leading wicket-taker in IPL last season with 19 scalps from 14 matches.

In KXIP's opening game of IPL 2020 against Delhi Capitals, Shami had also notched up his best figures of three for 15 in the tournament history.

KXIP have been perennial underachievers in IPL and barring two seasons -- 2008 and 2014 -- they have failed to make the play-offs and finished last three times (2010, 2015 and 2016).

This time also, the KL Rahul-led team is struggling and are currently langushing at the bottom of the table with just a win from the six matches played so far.

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However the 30-year-old is still hopeful of a turnaround of fortunes and said that any team should discount KXIP at its own peril.

"You cannot underestimate any team in this format. It's been our bad luck that we have not been able to lift the trophy yet. We had a great start last season. T20 format is all about execution. Our stroke of luck can change any moment," Shami recently told PTI news agency.

In match 24 of IPL 2020, KKR won the toss and took first use of the wicket. Shami, who opened the bowling with Arshdeep Singh clean bowled the in-form Tripathi with a peach of a delivery after being previously hit for a boundary in the third over to get to the 50-wicket club.

His first wicket in IPL history was that of Thisara Perera while Virat Kohli was his 10th victim.