Haryana-born all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed made his much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The left-arm spinner is known for his accurate bowling in the middle overs, and his big-hitting prowess in the end overs makes him an even more significant asset. Unlike other prominent Indian spinners, Ahmed is not someone who turns a bowl long way but instead relies on his variations to torment the batsmen. After playing his first game against RR, Ahmed was axed from the RCB playing XI. However, he has replaced Navdeep Saini in a virtual playoff against Delhi Capitals and the youngster must leave no stones unturned to make a mark. RR vs RCB Score Updates Dream11 IPL 2020.

The southpaw represents Bengal in the domestic circuit, and his growth over the years has been impressive. He got his maiden First-Class cap in December 2017 on the back of some sensational performances in junior-level cricket. Apart from making a mark with his left-arm spins, Ahmed has also delivered consistently with the bat and didn’t take long in becoming a vital cog of Bengal team in all formats. With the presence of Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa in RCB camp, this should be a great learning curve for Ahmed. Meanwhile, let’s look at some lesser-known facts about the RCB debutant.

Shahbaz Ahmed Quick Facts & Records:

  1. Shahbaz Ahmed was born on December 12, 1994, in Mawat, Haryana.

  2. Ahmed represents the Bengal team in the FC and List-A cricket.

  3. RCB bought the all-rounder for INR 20 Lakh in the IPL 2020 auctions.

  4. Ahmed made in IPL debut for RCB against RR on  October 17.

  5. In the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy season, the southpaw scored 509 runs and scalped 35 wickets.

  6. He also played a crucial role in guiding Bengal to the finals in Ranji Trophy 2019-20.

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer  won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. RCB, who are second in the points table, lost their last three games and would be raring to comeback. Notably, the winner of this contest will seal a playoff berth while the loser has to pray for Mumbai Indians' win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last league game.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2020 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).