Khaleel Ahmed has expressed immense joy over his return to international cricket in the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. After a standout season with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, Khaleel was included as a travelling reserve for India in the T20 World Cup and later named in the squad for the Zimbabwe series. In three matches, the left-arm pacer has taken three wickets at an economy rate of 6.81.
Khaleel’s satisfaction with his performance was evident, especially after taking two wickets in the third T20I. He shared his feelings about returning to the national team after five years and the joy of being back in the Indian dressing room. Speaking to Sony Sports, Khaleel said:
“To be very honest, I am extremely happy with my performances because of how I have got the rhythm in my bowling and the way I have adapted to the conditions. I was also able to execute well, so I am quite happy with that. This series is everything for me because when I wasn’t a part of this dressing room, I was missing it a lot. So I am delighted to be a part of this dressing room and performing for India, and that happiness is different, I cannot express it.”
Improved Execution and Learning from the T20 World Cup
Khaleel also highlighted the improvements he made during the T20 World Cup, particularly in executing yorkers and cutters. His time with the main squad, despite being a reserve, allowed him to train without the pressure of playing matches, which helped him refine his skills. He commented:
“I worked a lot on my bowling when I was in the reserves in the World Cup because there was no stress of playing matches at that time. So I was working a lot on my cutters and yorkers at that time, and I am extremely happy with the way I am able to execute yorkers and the spin and rotation I am getting (on the slower ones).”
India vs Zimbabwe Series
India has secured the series win against Zimbabwe, with notable performances from players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who have played key roles in shattering Zimbabwe’s defense and sealing victories for India.
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