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Akshay Karnewar: The ambidextrous bowler who has created a never-before-seen record in T20s
Akshay Karnewar from Vidarbha is the first player in T20s to bowl 4 maidens in a match, conceding zero runs in his full quota.
Akshay Karnewar bowls with both arms in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Manipur (Screenshot)
Akshay Karnewar has been confounding the cricket world for a few years now. Ever since at the age of 13, when his coach saw him bowl with his right arm but throw with his left arm and urged him to take up bowling with both hands; ever since he made his debut for Vidarbha six years ago, there has been something different about Karnewar.
This week, Karnewar confounded Manipur and Sikkim's batsmen in the Plate group of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, creating a never-before-seen record in T20 cricket.
On Monday, he became the first player in T20s to bowl 4 maidens in a match, conceding zero runs in his full quota. Manipur were bundled out for just 55 runs in 16.3 overs. Karnewar took two wickets bowling left arm spin, coming back to bowl with his right hand at the end of the innings. He finished with 2/0 in 4 overs.
On Tuesday, Karnewar followed up his historic feat by taking a hat-trick against Sikkim, his figures reading 4-1-5-2.
Vidarbha finished the league phase atop the Plate Group points table, having won all five matches they've played thus far. They have qualified for the preliminary quarter-final, which will take place on November 16.
Most economical spells in T20s
4-4-0-2 Akshay Karnewar - (SMAT 2021)
4-3-1-2 Mohammad Irfan - (CPL 2018)
4-3-2-2 Chris Morris - (SA T20 2014)
In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar in 2015, Karnewar had said his father is a bus driver who earned Rs 12,000 per month.
Ambidextrous bowlers in recent years
Former Australian coach John Buchanan had predicted around two decades ago that ambidexterity will become common in the future. But Karnewar's skill of being able to bowl with both hands is still a very rare skill.
Sri Lanka's Hashan Tillakaratne bowled with both his arms during the Kenya vs Sri Lanka game in the 1996 World Cup. In recent years, Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis and Bangladesh's Shaila Sharmin have done it in international cricket.
Pakistani paceman Yasir Jan had been touted as being capable of bowling over 130kph with both arms, but has not progressed to play any elite-level cricket yet.
Nivethan Radhakrishnan, an Indian-origin player in the New South Wales system, who has represented Australia at Under-16s level, is another exciting ambidextrous bowler.
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