AK47 fires into record books as India beat New Zealand in Auckland ODI opener
Nicknamed 'AK47' by his teammates — combining his initials with his jersey number — fast bowler Anshul Kamboj lived up to his moniker in Auckland, firing India to a commanding five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. Kamboj delivered an extraordinary 10-over spell, conceding just 22
Nicknamed 'AK47' by his teammates — combining his initials with his jersey number — fast bowler Anshul Kamboj lived up to his moniker in Auckland, firing India to a commanding five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. Kamboj delivered an extraordinary 10-over spell, conceding just 22
Nicknamed 'AK47' by his teammates — combining his initials with his jersey number — fast bowler Anshul Kamboj lived up to his moniker in Auckland, firing India to a commanding five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. Kamboj delivered an extraordinary 10-over spell, conceding just 22
Nicknamed 'AK47' by his teammates, combining his initials with his jersey number, fast bowler Anshul Kamboj lived up to his moniker in Auckland, firing India to a commanding five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. Kamboj delivered an extraordinary 10-over spell, conceding just 22 runs while picking up two crucial wickets, earning the Player of the Match award despite not facing a single ball with the bat.
From debut disappointment to match-winner
The 25-year-old right-arm pacer displayed remarkable mental toughness to script a stunning redemption story. Just last month, Kamboj endured a nightmarish debut against the West Indies in New Chandigarh, where he went wicketless and conceded 82 runs in his 10 overs as the visitors chased down 352. Returning to the side with no signs of nerves, he operated at a brilliant economy rate of 2.20, completely suffocating the Kiwi batting lineup.
Relentless accuracy in the middle overs
Introduced as the first-change bowler, Kamboj relentlessly tested the batters with flawless line and length, good use of bounce and variations in pace. He systematically halted New Zealand's scoring rate during the middle overs and removed key figures, including Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner and all-rounder Nathan Smith, ensuring the hosts were restricted to a modest total.
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Etching his name in the record books
Kamboj's figures of 2 for 22 represent the second-most economical 10-over spell by an Indian fast bowler in ODI history. He became only the fourth Indian pacer to achieve an economy rate of 2.20 or better in a full 10-over spell, joining elite company. The last Indian pacer to register such figures was Jasprit Bumrah (4/22) against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2016. Ashish Nehra (2/22 vs Sri Lanka in 2005) and Ajit Agarkar (2/22 vs West Indies in 2006) also share this distinction, while Javagal Srinath holds the all-time Indian record with 3 for 13 against New Zealand in 2003.
An elite club of match-winners
Bagging the Player of the Match honour without batting and claiming two or fewer wickets places Kamboj in an exclusive group of Indian players. Notable Indian performances matching this rare benchmark include:
• Anshul Kamboj (2/22) vs New Zealand, Auckland (2026)
• Jasprit Bumrah (2/19) vs Pakistan, Ahmedabad (2023)
• Jasprit Bumrah (2/28) vs South Africa, The Oval (2017)
• Mohit Sharma (2/26) vs Zimbabwe, Bulawayo (2013)
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/19) vs Pakistan, Edgbaston (2013)
• Anil Kumble (2/22) vs Kenya, Nairobi (2000)
• Javagal Srinath (2/22) vs New Zealand, Mumbai (1995)
• Anil Kumble (2/29) vs England, Leeds (1990)