Khaleel Ahmed, the Delhi Capitals’ pace sensation, has been on a remarkable journey in IPL 2024, showcasing his prowess with 14 wickets in 12 matches. His stellar performances have earned him a coveted spot as a standby player for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, marking a triumphant return to the national squad after his last appearance for India in December 2019.
In a candid conversation during Episode 3 (Season 4) of the DC Podcast, Khaleel opened up about his journey back to the Indian team and shared insights into the high-scoring encounters in the current IPL season.
Expressing his elation, Khaleel remarked, “The way the past few months were going and the way the IPL started, I had the intuition that something good would happen. As the IPL matches progressed, my confidence continued to grow. I realised I was bowling well, and it has always been about moving one step ahead. Finally, when the name came, I was so happy, and it’s a step ahead for me.”
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Reflecting on the challenges he faced during his hiatus from the national team, Khaleel revealed, “2019 was a long time ago. Every day, at the back of my mind, I missed that feeling of playing for the country. Every time I used to watch India play, I used to imagine what I would have done if I was there in the team. So, every day was like a battle and these kinds of conversations were going on inside my head.”
“𝘒𝘢𝘣 𝘸𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘨𝘢 𝘬𝘪 𝘬𝘢𝘣 𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘯 🇮🇳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘢” 💙❤
Watch Khaleel Ahmed’s story behind his IPL success and #T20WorldCup call-up in the latest episode of the #DCPodcast 😍
To watch the full video, head to… pic.twitter.com/m6foCbuQll
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) May 9, 2024
Despite the hurdles, Khaleel Ahmed remained unwavering in his dedication to cricket.
“After the last IPL, I took only a week’s break and embarked on this journey. I made sure I played all the domestic matches. It’s tough as a fast bowler, but I made up my mind that irrespective of what happens to me, I’m going to play all the matches,” he shared, highlighting his relentless pursuit of excellence.
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Embracing the challenges of the current cricketing landscape, Khaleel emphasized, “I believe this is the best moment for the fast bowlers to come to light. If a bowler performs in tough situations like these, he will be considered a King, and I want to be that King. So, this is what my mentality has been about the current scenario.”
