A single delivery was enough to turn heads in Lucknow as Mohammed Shami made an unforgettable impact in his first match for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026. Playing at the Ekana Stadium against Delhi Capitals on April 1, the experienced fast bowler gave his team a dream start while defending a target of 142.
Mohammed Shami struck on the very first ball of Delhi’s chase, dismissing opener KL Rahul. Trying to go for an attacking shot, Rahul mistimed the ball and was caught by Mohsin Khan in the third-man region. The wicket meant Rahul, who has scored more than 5000 runs in the IPL, was out for a golden duck, leaving Delhi under early pressure.
This moment was important not just for the match but also for the record books. With this wicket, Mohammed Shami became the first bowler in the IPL history to take a wicket on the very first ball of an innings five times. It is a rare achievement, especially considering that only seven other bowlers have managed to do it three times. Shami now stands alone at the top in this unique record.
The other seven bowlers are Pravin Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Trent Boult, Lasith Malinga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashok Dinda and Pat Cummins.
35-year-old Shami is now playing for his sixth IPL team. Over the years, he has represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad before joining Lucknow Super Giants. He was brought into the LSG squad through a trade deal from Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
His move came despite a difficult previous season. In the IPL 2025, Shami picked up only six wickets in nine matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He also struggled with his economy rate, which went up to 11.23, and was even dropped from the playing XI at one stage for conceding too many runs. During that season, he also registered an unwanted record by giving away the most runs in a single IPL match by an Indian bowler.
However, his latest performance shows how quickly things can change in cricket. With one ball, Shami reminded everyone of his experience and ability to deliver when it matters the most.
