The IPL 2025 season saw a thrilling encounter between Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on March 30, 2025 and it also marked the emergence of new cricketing talent. 25 year old leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari made his IPL debut for SRH in this match, and put up a performance that hints at a bright career for him.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins’ decision to include Zeeshan Ansari in the playing XI against Delhi Capitals proved to be a masterplan. Zeeshan Ansari made his debut memorable by taking three crucial wickets of DC and put pressure on the Delhi Capitals batting order. His first IPL wicket was that of veteran Faf du Plessis, followed by the valuable wicket of explosive batsman Jack Fraser-McGurk. Zeeshan Ansari later added KL Rahul to his list of victims. Ansari bowled the final over to take 3 wickets for 42 runs in 4 overs. Although his economy rate was a bit high, his wickets had a huge impact on the DC team.
Zeeshan Ansari IPL journey
Zeeshan Ansari‘s IPL journey is a story of dedication and passion. He was born on 16 December 1999 in Lucknow, and grew up in a very simple family. His father works as a tailor and Ansari’s love for cricket was evident from childhood. Notably, he represented India in the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup alongside future stars like Rishabh Pant, showcasing his early potential. However, Ansari’s path to the IPL was not a normal one, as he did not take the traditional age group cricket route.
Ansari’s breakthrough came while playing for Meerut Mavericks in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League. He made a significant impact by becoming the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 24 wickets in 12 innings, including an impressive five-wicket haul. His impressive performance caught the attention of SRH scouts, resulting in him being bought for Rs 40 lakh in the IPL 2025 auction. Interestingly, Ansari had limited experience in the T20 format before his IPL debut, having played only one T20 match for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, in which he did not get any wickets. This is in contrast to his first-class record, where he has taken 17 wickets in 5 matches.
Ansari’s journey highlights the importance of domestic T20 tournaments in uncovering and developing cricketing talent. His success, despite limited experience in the T20 format, shows his potential as a wicket-taking leg-spinner. His debut performance bodes well for Sunrisers Hyderabad, showing that Zeeshan Ansari could be a valuable asset to their bowling attack in the IPL 2025 campaign.
