
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
Sakib Hussain made a remarkable IPL debut, taking 4 wickets for 24 runs, matching the best bowling performance by an Indian on debut. His journey from struggling to survive in Bihar to shining in the IPL highlights his determination and talent.
NEW DELHI: If Praful Hinge stepped into the limelight with his new-ball spell for Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, his partner sharing the new ball, Sakib Hussain, caught everyoneâs attention towards the end of the Rajasthan Royals innings.
Sakib finished with figures of 4/24, matching the best bowling performance by an Indian on IPL debut, as his slow off-cutters did the trick.
âThis fearless prodigy Sakib Hussain looks very talented. At the start of the chase, he got the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal with the new ball. Later, he showed his ability to bowl the slow off-cutter and his ability to nail them took everyone by surprise. His slower delivery gave Mustafizur Rahman vibes and he feels like a right-handed version of Mustafizur,â former New Zealand bowler Mitchell McClenaghan said later.
If the IPL propelled Sakib on to the big stage, there was a time when it was difficult for him to even have two square meals a day. Hailing from Gopalganj district in Bihar, Sakibâs story of playing cricket at the highest level is reduced to the bare essentials and grounded in survival. â Khone ke liye to kuch nahi hai, paane ke liye bas yehi hai. Jo karna hai so yehi karenge (There is nothing to lose for me, and what I have to gains is just this... so I will continue to pursue this and give my best),â Sakib says.
Sakibâs childhood was unforgiving. A pair of spikes wasnât just equipment; it was a choice between sport and sustenance. âSpikes jo aata hai wo Rs 10,000-15,000 ka aata hai . Joota lenge to khaayenge kahan se ? (Cricket spikes cost between Rs 10,000-15,000. If my father bought me spikes, then where will we able to eat the next meal from?),â Sakib said.
Sakibâs mother, Subuktara Khatoon, remembers the moment when she had to make a difficult choice.
âOne day Sakib came to me and said, âMummy, I donât have spikes. How will I be able to continue playing cricket?â I didnât have the money required to buy the spikes. I had to sell my jewellery to buy him the spikes,â she said.
Sakibâs father Ali Ahmed Hussain, a farmer, had to stop working after suffering a knee injury, leaving the family in a difficult situation. With limited means, even basic necessities were hard to afford.
âI got unwell, after which it was difficult to even manage one square meal,â recalled Ali Ahmed. Cricket, then, was not indulgence; it was a gamble.
âHe works very hard. Thatâs why we decided to play our cards on him,â his father said. âIt was not just hope, but a calculated risk.â
In his debut match, he was trusted with bowling in the Powerplay as well as during the death overs. That trust has not come easy. It is perhaps why Sakibâs relationship with pace feels less like flair and more like responsibility.
âNow I am able to reach speeds north of 140 kph. Next season, I am confident that I will be able to breach the 150 kph mark,â he said.
Sakib Hussain finished with bowling figures of 4 wickets for 24 runs in his IPL debut.
Sakib Hussain comes from Gopalganj district in Bihar, where he faced significant hardships, which fueled his determination to succeed in cricket.
Former New Zealand bowler Mitchell McClenaghan compared Sakib Hussain to Mustafizur Rahman, noting his ability to bowl effective slow off-cutters.

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