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Jacob Duffy dismissed Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the powerplay. Social media exploded with praise for his fiery spell in RCB vs SRH opener.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Duffy, right, reacts after taking the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head, left, during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India.(AP)New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy announced his arrival in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a sensational spell on debut, ripping through Sunrisers Hyderabad's explosive opening lineup and leaving the defending champions RCB fans in raptures at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Duffy, who was picked by RCB at his base price of INR 2 crore in the IPL 2026 auction, delivered a match-defining performance in the season opener. Bowling with raw pace and sharp bounce, the 31-year-old right-arm fast-medium bowler claimed three wickets inside the powerplay, reducing SRH to 49/3 in just 6 overs.
Jacob Duffy dismantles SRH's destructive top order
The carnage began in the third over. Jacob Duffy's short ball hurried Abhishek Sharma 7(8), who has struggled with form recently. The Hyderabad opener attempted a pull but lost his shape, sending a thick top edge to Jitesh Sharma, who settled under the skier for a safe catch.
Just five balls later, Duffy struck again. Travis Head, known for his aggressive starts, went for a flat pull off another short delivery but found Phil Salt at deep backward square leg. Salt completed a well-judged reverse-cup catch, sending the dangerous left-hander back for 11 (9).
The hat-trick of wickets came in the fifth over when Nitish Kumar Reddy 1 (6) tried to swing across the line without footwork. The top edge flew to mid-wicket, where debutant Abhinandan Singh took a stylish catch and celebrated with swagger by throwing the ball away.
The Chinnaswamy crowd erupted with every wicket as RCB's bowling unit, led by the debutant, put SRH in early trouble. Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen were left to rebuild, but the damage was done.
Social media reacts
Social media exploded with praise for Jacob Duffy's fiery spell. Fans quickly dubbed him a "great replacement for Hazlewood," highlighting his ability to hit the deck hard and generate steep bounce on Indian pitches.
Duffy's debut not only gave RCB a strong start in their title defence but also injected fresh energy into the bowling attack. With Phil Salt and other overseas stars in the mix, the Royal Challengers look well-equipped for the campaign ahead.
(More to follow)
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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