5 Things to Know About Mumbai’s Star Debutant Alzarri Joseph
He was a member of the U-19 West Indies squad which won the U-19 T20 World Cup in 2016.
In his debut game for Mumbai Indians Alzarri Joseph, the young pacer from West Indies, took 6/12 against Sunrisers Hyderabad to help his team to a 40 run victory on Saturday night.
The 22-year-old Caribbean star’s 6/12 on debut also rewrote the record books as he registered the best ever bowling figures in the league's history. His spell with the ball helped Mumbai win their third game of the season and enter the top 4 of the points table.
Here are five things to know about the latest Mumbai Indians pace prodigy.
1) International Career
Joseph made his Test debut against India in 2016 and his ODI debut against Pakistan at Sharjah in the same year. He has taken 25 wickets in Tests, 24 in ODIs and 15 wickets in T20Is.
He was also a member of the U-19 West Indies squad which won the U-19 T20 World Cup in 2016. That year, all the three West Indies teams – the senior men’s team, the U-19 team and the women’s team – created history by becoming the first team to win three T20 titles in a single year.
2) Late Replacement
Joseph wasn't even supposed to be part of this IPL. Not picked in the auction last December, the pacer joined the Mumbai squad as late as 28 March as a replacement Kiwi pacer Adam Milne who was ruled out of the tournament due to a heel injury. Milne was purchased by the franchise for Rupees 75 lakh.
3) The Record-Breaking Debut
The Mumbai pacer has become the second bowler to take 5 wickets on his IPL debut. Andrew Tye was the first to achieve the feat when he was playing for Gujarat Lions against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016.
Overall, Joseph’s 6/12 are the eighth best bowling figures in IPL history.
4) MI’s Fifer Club
Joseph is the fourth bowler to take a five-wicket haul for the Mumbai Indians. The other four bowlers are Lasith Malinga (5/13 against Delhi Daredevils), Harbhajan Singh (5/18 against Chennai Super Kings) and Munaf Patel (against Kings XI Punjab).
5) Youngest to Take Fifer
At 22 years & 137 days, Joseph is also the youngest bowler to take a five-wicket haul in IPL history. Jaydev Unadkat remains the youngest to do so, against Delhi Daredevils for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013. He was aged 21 years & 204 days back then.
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