Shardul Thakur Joins IPL’s 100-Wicket Club with Career-Best Spell Against SRH

The ‘Palghar Express’ delivers a match-winning 4-wicket spell for Lucknow Super Giants, seals comeback with Player of the Match honours after going unsold in IPL 2024 auction.

Shardul Thakur’s Comeback Complete: Marks 100 IPL Wickets with Fiery 4/34 vs SRH

Hyderabad, March 28: From nearly switching to county cricket to clinching Player of the Match honors, Shardul Thakur’s cricketing journey hit a high on Thursday as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer picked up his 100th Indian Premier League (IPL) wicket during a commanding performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Uppal Stadium.

Nicknamed the ‘Palghar Express’, Shardul delivered a blistering 4/34 in 4 overs, dismantling SRH’s top and lower order. His scalps included Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Abhinav Manohar, and Mohammed Shami—sealing his best-ever IPL figures and a milestone moment with his 100th IPL wicket.

Having turned out for multiple franchises including CSK, DC, KKR, PBKS, and now LSG, Shardul reached the landmark in his 97th IPL appearance, with an overall average of 29.22. His best season came in 2021 with Chennai Super Kings, claiming 21 wickets and contributing to their title triumph.

Speaking post-match, Shardul revealed that he nearly turned his back on IPL after being unsold in the 2024 mega auction, until LSG mentor Zaheer Khan called him with the promise of a mid-season replacement opportunity.

“Zaheer told me not to switch off, and that if I came in, I’d likely start. So I kept myself ready. Ups and downs are part of the game, but I’ve always believed in my skills,” said Shardul.

“I took my chances knowing guys like Head and Abhishek love to attack. On swing-friendly pitches, the new ball is your best weapon,” he added.

Shardul also echoed concerns over the batter-friendly conditions and impact player rule, stating that matches skewed towards 240-250 totals are becoming too one-sided for bowlers.

In the match, after Thakur’s early breakthroughs restricted SRH to 15/2, brief fireworks from Travis Head (47), Aniket Verma (36 off 13), and Cummins (18 off 4) lifted SRH to 190/9.

But LSG’s response was emphatic. A 116-run stand between Nicholas Pooran (70 off 26) and Mitchell Marsh (52 off 31), followed by a crisp finish from *Abdul Samad (22 off 8)**, guided the Super Giants to a five-wicket win with 23 balls to spare.

With this match, Shardul not only re-established himself as a match-winner but also joined the elite list of bowlers to take 100 IPL wickets, making a loud statement in his return season.

📊 Brief Scores:
SRH 190/9 (Head 47, Aniket 36; Thakur 4/34)
LSG 193/5 in 16.1 overs (Pooran 70, Marsh 52; Cummins 2/29)

A comeback story written in fire and swing — Shardul Thakur is back, and how!