Watch: LSG pacer Mayank Yadav bowls 155.8 kmph delivery to PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan

Saturday’s meeting between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) turned out to be an occasion to remember, and it wasn’t just because of Lucknow collecting their first win of the season.

The 11th match of the 17th season witnessed the debut of an individual who could be a future pace superstar for the Indian team, with Mayank Yadav hitting eye-popping numbers on the speed gun and turning up the heat at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium with a sensational spell of fast-bowling.

Photos | Mayank Yadav shines on debut as LSG defeat PBKS, collect first win of IPL 2024

The Delhi lad was introduced into the attack in the 10th over of Punjab’s chase of the 200-run target set by Lucknow, when captain Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow were fairly well set with the scorecard reading 98 for no loss. Yadav started his spell with a delivery measuring 147.1 kmph, touching 150 two deliveries later.

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The 21-year-old would then bowl the fastest delivery of the season so far at the start of his second over, firing a 155.8 kmph thunderbolt to Dhawan, who ended up getting beaten while trying to slash the ball.

Watch Yadav bowl with express pace here:

Three balls later, he would be celebrating his maiden wicket in the IPL as Bairstow ended up getting caught at deep midwicket while attempting to pull a short ball, departing for 42.

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He would later account for the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh (19) and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma (6) as the match began to slip out of PBKS’ grasp despite the solid start provided by Dhawan and Bairstow.

Yadav would eventually sign off with figures of 3/27 and was later adjudged the Player of the Match on his IPL debut. What was especially impressive about his bowling performance on Saturday was the fact that he was able to consistently bowl at express speed throughout his spell, going below the 145 kmph (90 mph) mark only a handful of times with his slowest ball measuring 140 clicks.

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It was in the IPL where India had discovered a potential superstar in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Umran Malik, who became an overnight sensation after bowling deliveries measuring up to 157kmph in the 2022 season, which helped fast-track his selection into the Indian team later that year.

And the manner in which Yadav bowled on Saturday will certainly have got him noticed in the eyes of the national selectors who are likely following the events of the ongoing season very keenly.