Mohammed Shami delivered a fiery opening spell for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their crucial IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, once again proving why he remains one of the most dangerous new-ball bowlers in T20 cricket. The veteran Indian pacer struck on the very first delivery of the innings, removing PBKS opener Priyansh Arya and immediately putting the visitors under pressure.
Shami’s dream start gave LSG early momentum in a must-win encounter. Priyansh Arya, one of Punjab’s most explosive batters this season, attempted to get off the mark aggressively but only managed to hand a catch to Arjun Tendulkar in the field. The dismissal stunned PBKS and gave Lucknow exactly the start they were hoping for in front of their home crowd.
The experienced fast bowler did not stop there. In the third over, Shami produced another quality delivery to dismiss Cooper Connolly, who had looked dangerous during his brief stay at the crease. Bowling a fuller delivery outside off stump, Shami tempted Connolly into an attacking shot. The Australian batter failed to connect, and the ball crashed into the off stump to leave Punjab Kings reeling inside the powerplay.
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Connolly departed after scoring 18 runs off just 10 balls, an innings that included four boundaries. While his stay was short, the Australian youngster still managed to achieve a significant milestone in IPL history. With 491 runs in his debut IPL season, Connolly now holds the second-highest tally for most runs scored in a debut IPL campaign. Only Shaun Marsh, who scored 616 runs for Punjab Kings in the inaugural 2008 season, sits above him on the elite list.
The trouble-maker for top-order batters 👊
🎥 Mohd. Shami on his usual demolition job with the new ball 🔥🔥
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Most runs in a debut IPL season:
- Shaun Marsh – 616 (PBKS, 2008)
- Cooper Connolly – 491 (PBKS, 2026)*
- Priyansh Arya – 475 (PBKS, 2025)
- Devdutt Padikkal – 473 (RCB, 2020)
- Shreyas Iyer – 439 (Delhi Daredevils, 2015)
Shami’s opening breakthrough also helped him achieve a remarkable IPL record. The pacer now has six wickets off the very first ball of an IPL innings — the most by any bowler in tournament history.
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Most wickets off the first ball of an IPL innings:
- Mohammed Shami – 6
- \Jofra Archer – 5
His powerplay numbers in IPL 2026 further highlight his consistency. Across 13 first overs this season, Shami has claimed five wickets with an impressive economy rate of 7.23 and a dot-ball percentage of 61.5. On a pitch offering slight seam movement, the veteran pacer once again showed why he remains one of the best new-ball specialists in the league.
