Fri Apr 04 18:30:00 UTC 2025: ## IPL History Made: Ambidextrous Bowler Takes First Wicket
**Kolkata, India** – Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) introduced a unique bowling element to the IPL in their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday, as Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis became the first ambidextrous bowler to claim a wicket in the tournament’s history.
Mendis, acquired by SRH for INR 75 lakhs in the November auction, bowled an over that baffled KKR batsmen. He alternated between left-arm orthodox and right-arm off-spin, ultimately dismissing Angkrish Raghuvanshi shortly after the batsman reached his half-century. Commentator Pommie Mbangwa noted the confusion the technique caused for batters. Mendis even postponed his honeymoon to participate in the IPL.
Despite Mendis’s impressive debut, KKR dominated the match. A strong middle-order performance, featuring fifties from Venkatesh Iyer and Raghuvanshi, propelled KKR to a challenging 200/6. While KKR’s opening pair struggled, a crucial 81-run partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Raghuvanshi solidified their score. Vaibhav Arora’s impressive 3/29 earned him Player of the Match honors.
In response, SRH’s batting lineup crumbled. Early wickets by KKR’s new-ball bowlers and effective spin bowling from Varun Chakravarthy (3/22) and Sunil Narine (1/30) restricted SRH to a meager 120 all out, handing KKR an 80-run victory.
First Piper 