Official score sheet gifted to Ajaz Patel for his record 10-wicket haul, pic surfaces

Mumbai: Mumbai Cricket Association has felicitated New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel after his stupendous showing in the second Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium. In the first innings, the left-arm spinner picked up 10 wickets, thereby becoming only the third bowler in the history of cricket to achieve the milestone. He joined the elite list, comprising Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.

The tweaker finished with figures of 47.5-12-119-10 and helped his team bowl India out for 325 in the first innings. As far as MCA is concerned, it felicitated Patel with an official scoresheet of the Mumbai Test. Earlier, Patel handed over the ball and his T-shirt for the MCA museum.

It’s neither easy being a cricketer, says Ajaz Patel

After accomplishing the milestone, Patel was over the moon. Even as he called it a special moment, he also said that a cricketer has to work hard to achieve success at regular intervals. He was also happy to have performed in Mumbai, his place of birth.

“After I came off the field things took place very quickly. These kinds of things don’t really sink in too late. Obviously, it’s a special moment. I am not gonna lie about it. It is special for me. I met my family, my mom and dad, wife. It’s neither easy being a cricketer, spending a lot of time away from home,” Patel was quoted as saying during a virtual press conference on Saturday, December 4.

“Coming back home to Mumbai, to Wankhede and producing something like this is quite special. I am grateful to God that he blessed me with such an occasion,” he added.

Patel also went on to pick up four wickets in the second innings, dismissing Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Jayant Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. But his efforts went in vain as the Kiwis lost the match by a mammoth margin of 372 runs.

Chasing 540 runs on a slow surface, the visitors lost five wickets coming into Day three. On Day four, Jayant Yadav ran through their lower order. Patel picked up 14 wickets in the game, but it was Mayank Agarwal, who got the Player of the Match award for scoring 150 in the first innings.