Watch: Kuldeep Yadav recreates epic Babar Azam dismissal by cleaning up Aiden Markram

Kuldeep Yadav weaved his magic to effect a dismissal of spinner’s delight during the first of three ODIs between India and South Africa in Lucknow on Thursday, October 6. The left-arm wrist spinner challenged Aiden Markram in a rather uncomfortable stay, which ended for a five-ball duck.

Having walked in at the fall of Temba Bavuma’s wicket in the previous over, Markram found the leading edge of the first ball he faced from Kuldeep Yadav in the 16th over of the innings, which landed safely around silly mid-off. A wrong one followed, with the right-hander beaten all ends up on the outside edge. Kuldeep then fired one quicker which was played with little conviction on the off-side, and generated a lot of turn on the next as Markram managed to play it out with an inside edge onto the bat.

Having rattled the batter already, Kuldeep slipped in a conventional leg-break, which drifted across the right hander and pitched on a length outside off. Markram pressed forward, but the sharp turn was enough for the ball to sneak through the gap between bat and pad and hit the top of off-stump.

Watch: Kuldeep Yadav recreates epic Babar Azam dismissal by cleaning up Aiden Markram

The dismissal was reminiscent of Kuldeep’s ball to dismiss Babar Azam in a 2019 World Cup round-robin match between India and Pakistan at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Earlier, the match had a delayed start due to rain and was reduced to 40-overs a side contest. India skipper Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and opted to bowl, with the hosts handing an ODI debut to wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Openers Quinton de Kock and Janneman Malan added 49 in 12.1 overs, with the latter falling to Shardul Thakur for 22.

Shardul then casted Temba Bavuma for 8, before Kuldeep’s magical act reduced South Africa to 71/3 at the end of the 16th over. South Africa were 108/3 from 22 overs at the time of writing.