- May 4, 2025
There is very little more satisfying than a left-arm seamer swinging it back into the right-hand bat and breaking the stumps. If you’ve been following IPL 2025, then hopefully you’ve seen Khaleel Ahmed do this more than once. After being a bit of an afterthought on the squad, to now being the new powerplay menace to open the bowling, Khaleel’s season is one to remember, even drawing scrutiny from viewers and former players alike.
So, what has changed? What has made Khaleel such a handful with the new ball this year? We can take a closer look at how the Sunrisers Delhi (ex-DC) pacer has found his groove and has made life difficult for front-line batters.
The Powerplay Masterclass: Early Strikes and Tight Lines
Khaleel Ahmed. He is no longer just a guy who is doing a job – he is taking the game into his hands. Khaleel’s pace is generally in the early 130s, but he has been able to keep it simple and effective with that left-arm angle.
In terms of the IPL 2025 stats so far, Khaleel has picked up 8 wickets in the powerplay phase in six matches, at an economy of 6.4 (elite numbers for a format that is all about batters launching from ball one). The number one standout attribute has to be fearlessness. Khaleel is also willing to hit the pitch up and attack, even on flat surfaces. If his last couple of damp throw-down training matches earlier this week are any indication, when there is a little dampness, he will be sensed as twice as dangerous.
Khaleel 2.0 – The Confidence Is Showing
This version of Khaleel is different — he is more self-assured and confident. A big part of that comes from how well he has been bowling at home before the IPL. He was a star of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, changing the game with a couple of early breakthroughs, and also demonstrated better control of his pace and shape at the end of the innings. However, his true calling card was when he bowled in the first six overs.
His first strong spell has gone from being perceived as a shaky ship to his greatest strength as a bowler. There is great rhythm in his run-up, clarity in his plans to bowl, and aggression and intent in his body language. The days of Khaleel running in with the plans running through his head, and trying to do too many things while disappearing for 12 and over are now long gone! He is now working creatively with resources, assessing the angles smartly, sometimes going around the wicket to squeeze right-handers, and using the lengths of the crease to engineer movement.
What This Means for the Team — And the Playoffs Ahead
It was great timing for Khaleel to be peaking for a team like Sunrisers Delhi (yes, they’re rebranded), whose strength is built on being a bowling team. With their overseas quick, Anrich Nortje, doing hot and cold in patches, Khaleel slots into a role of seeking to take wickets early.
And with some big games on the horizon, especially the playoffs, which will be on slow, drier pitches, his role is even more crucial. If he can take this form to this fixture, then he may provide the x-factor that Delhi needs — a left-arm quick who takes wickets early and limits the run rate. There won’t be a surprise if the management persists with him for the new ball (even while carrying the overseas pacer, or shifting domestic roles within the bowling grouping).
Is this the season we see Khaleel Ahmed 2.0 regularly break into international cricket? Let us know your thoughts and keep an eye out for that new-ball magic.
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