Data Shorts: Akeal's new-ball expertise, in numbers

Akeal Hosein vindicated CSK's decision to use him as an Impact Sub by dismantling MI's top order. He dismissed Danish Malewar for a golden duck on the final ball of the first over, then castled Naman Dhir, leaving MI at 11/3 by the end of the third over. It was just the third instance of a spinner delivering a wicket maiden in the powerplay in the IPL since 2020. He later removed Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma to seal MI's biggest ever IPL defeat.

Over the years, Akeal has mastered bowling with the new ball in T20s – a rare skillset among finger spinners. Of his 260 T20 innings, he's taken the first over in more than half (139) and the second over on 37 occasions. Overall, 48% of his overs have come in the first six, rising to 51.8% since 2023. In the BBL (where the Powerplay is four overs), 19 of his 58 overs have come in that phase.

Spinners with highest percentage of overs in the powerplay in T20s since 2023 (min. 200 overs)

His key weapons are the stock ball and the quicker one (seam-ups), plus smart changes of pace for drift. He has identical strike-rates and respectable economy rates against both right-handers and left-handers. He has 74 wickets in the first six overs in T20s since 2023, well clear of the next best spinner (Maheesh Theekshana – 55).

Akeal Hosein in Overs 1-6 in T20s since 2023

A specialist overseas left-arm spinner used predominantly in the Powerplay is extremely rare in the IPL. Of the 15 overseas spinners with 100+ IPL overs, only Theekshana (35.6%) and Shakib Al Hasan (30.3%) have a 30%-plus split of Powerplay overs. With Khaleel Ahmed ruled out, Akeal's exploits against KKR and MI make a strong case for his consistent inclusion.