Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin played a crucial role in picking two wickets in his first over for Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2020 opener against his former franchise Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday before picking up a freak shoulder injury that saw him writhing in pain as he walked out of the field.
In his first ball of the game, he dismissed Karun Nair with a flighted delivery before bowling out Nicolas Pooran in the fifth ball. But in the final delibvery, he injured his shoulder while making a dive to stop a single from Glenn Maxwell. He immediately walked off the field alongside physio Patrick Farhat.
Delhi Capitals are yet to make an official announcement on his injury, but captain Shreyas Iyer revealed that in a conversation with the veteran after the game, he said that he would be fit enough to play the next game. Iyer however admitted that the last call would be taken by the physio.
"Ashwin's over was a key one, and it changed the game in our favour, but that's what T20 cricket is. Ashwin says he'll be ready for the next game, but in the end the physio is going to decide," Iyer said after the match.
Delhi on Sunday defeated Kings XI Punjab in the Super Over. They will next play Chennai Super Kings at the same venue on September 25.
