IPL 2023: 'Best knuckle ball wicket I’ve ever seen,' says Dale Steyn on Ishant Sharma's dismissal of Vijay Shankar

South African pace legend Dale Steyn heaped praise on Ishant Sharma on Tuesday, calling his knuckle ball to dismiss Vijay Shankar the “best he had ever seen”.

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Ishant played a key role in helping Delhi Capitals successfully defend a modest 130-run total in their match against table leaders Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday.

The veteran India seamer grabbed 2/23 from four overs as DC, currently ranked at the bottom of the table and on the verge of bowing out of the playoffs race, managed to hold their nerve and edge the defending champions out in a low-scoring thriller. Both of Ishant’s wickets came off slower deliveries, but it was the one to dismiss Shankar that caught Steyn’s eye.

“Okay, Ishant just bowled the best knuckle ball wicket I’ve ever seen!” Steyn, who is part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad coaching staff, wrote on Tuesday.

Okay, Ishant just bowled the best knuckle ball wicket I’ve ever seen!

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) May 2, 2023

Ishant struck after Khaleel Ahmed and Anrich Nortje removed GT openers Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill, deceiving Shankar with a slower ball measuring 119 kmph that started off from around middle but managed to beat the batter’s outside edge with a hint of away movement and crashed into timber. Shankar, expected a quicker delivery, was drawn into a flick that ended up proving costly for him.

Deception at its best!