Shoaib returns home with all 10 wickets and Rs 10,000!

Gaud Saraswat CC’s left-arm spinner Shoaib Khan

When Gaud Saraswat CC's left-arm spinner Shoaib Khan started his 50km bike journey at 6:30 am from his home in Bhiwandi to the Oval Maidan, near Churchgate for his Dr HD Kanga Cricket League Division ‘E' match against Jolly Cricketers, little did he imagine that he would return home with an all-10 wickets haul and Rs 10,000 as a reward.

At the Government Law College pitch, Shoaib bowled 17.4 overs without a break and dismissed all 10 Jolly Cricketers batsmen. The 1980 Kanga League ‘A' division champions were dismissed for a mere 67 with Shoaib conceding just 36 runs. In reply, Gaud Saraswat declared their first innings at 69-6 with Ankur Dilipkumar Singh scoring an unbeaten 27. In the second essay, Jolly scored 36-3.

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"When I left Bhiwandi this [Sunday] morning I was merely thinking of just giving off my best. Even at lunch, after I got seven wickets, I was not thinking of the all-10. But our club owner Ravi Mandrekar sir pushed me and said, ‘You can get the remaining three wickets. Just focus and go for it'. I then started thinking about it, bowled in the right areas and succeeded in getting all 10. He also gave me R10,000 for my best effort. It's a big amount for me and I will hand it to my parents," Shoaib, who runs a garment shop in Bhiwandi, told mid-day on Sunday.

He recalled his earlier best performance when he took seven scalps for Islam Gymkhana in a ‘C' division game 10 years ago. "That performance also helped us to win a game. Today's [Sunday] performance gave me a different thrill as we know [India's] star spinner Anil Kumble also had a 10-wicket haul in a 1999 Test against Pakistan in New Delhi. "I must thank my other bowlers, who also bowled a tight length and built pressure on the batsmen, which helped me to get wickets from the other end."