Mohammed Shami enjoyed a fairytale debut for the Lucknow SuperGiants, dismissing KL Rahul with his very first delivery at the Ekana Stadium on Wednesday.
Defending a modest total of 141, Shami produced a signature outswinging delivery that induced a thick edge from Rahul, who slashed hard but ended up sending it straight down the throat of Mohsin Khan at deep third man and making the long walk back to the dugout with a golden duck.
Here's a look at that first-ball dismissal.
In the air.....and TAKEN 😍
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2026
A superb start for @LucknowIPL 👌
Mohd. Shami gets KL Rahul 1️⃣st ball 👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/lfP7dRNKfg#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #LSGvDC pic.twitter.com/oPUcn7ptCf
The dismissal marked an emotional start for Shami, who is representing his home state for the first time in the IPL. The pacer is also coming off a lean IPL 2025 season where he managed just six wickets in nine matches for SRH.
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More significantly, the moment comes at a time when Shami is looking to make strong case for a return to the Indian side. The 35-year-old has not represented India since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025 and currently remains outside the national setup across formats.
The out-of-favour senior quick was also left out of the BCCI's central contracts list for the 2025–26 cycle, signalling a broader transition within the Indian pace unit.
Despite that, Shami's recent domestic form has been difficult to ignore. Representing Bengal in the 2025–26 season, he picked up 67 wickets across competitions, including 38 in the Ranji Trophy and 15 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Speaking on The Shubhankar Mishra Show, Shami had recently dismissed speculation around his future, stating he has no plans to retire anytime soon. The IPL 2023 Purple Cap winner said, “When I get tired, I will call it a day. But I am not even thinking of retirement right now because such thoughts pull you down. If this thought crosses your mind, it means you're already tired. And if you're tired, it means you're bored.
"And I have said this earlier, too. I'll leave cricket the day I wake up and decide to get bored. So yeah, the day I feel lazy or get bored, I'll leave. But neither am I bored nor am I lazy. I am enjoying. Results are good and positive.”
With a new franchise and a fresh start, performances like these could play a key role in keeping Shami in the national conversation, even as India's pace attack continues to transition toward younger options.
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