Hey, cricket fans! Meet Zeeshan Ansari, He’s a 25-year-old leg-spinner from Uttar Pradesh (UP) who just made his big debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Zeeshan is quickly becoming a name to remember after taking three wickets in his very first IPL match against Delhi Capitals (DC). Want to know more about this rising star from UP? Let’s dive into his exciting story—it’s full of hard work, talent, and some awesome spin bowling!
From Small Town UP to Big IPL Dreams
Zeeshan Ansari comes from Lucknow, a city in Uttar Pradesh, and he’s 25 years old. He’s a leg-spinner, which means he’s a bowler who spins the ball in a tricky way—like a magician making it twist and turn to fool the batsmen. For a right-handed batter, the ball spins from their leg side to the off side, making it super hard to hit.
Zeeshan’s journey to the IPL wasn’t a quick one. Back in 2016, he was part of India’s U-19 World Cup team, playing with future stars like Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, and Sarfaraz Khan. That showed he had talent early on, but it took years of hard work to get to the big stage. His big moment came in the UP T20 League, a tournament in his home state. He took 24 wickets in 12 games—imagine getting two batsmen out in almost every match! He didn’t let the other team score too many runs either, with an economy rate of 7.60. That’s like being a wall that stops the runs from flowing.
His amazing skills in the UP T20 League got him noticed, and SRH picked him up for INR 40 lakhs in the IPL 2025 auction. That’s a lot of money, but it turned out to be a smart choice because Zeeshan was ready to show the world what he could do.
A Dream Debut: Three Wickets That Shocked DC
On March 30, 2025, Zeeshan played his first IPL match against Delhi Capitals at a stadium with a really long name—Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. SRH batted first after winning the toss, but they only scored 163 runs. That’s not a huge total in T20 cricket, so the bowlers had to step up to defend it.
Zeeshan came in like a hero. In just four overs (that’s 24 balls), he took three wickets and gave away only 28 runs. That’s an economy rate of 7.00, which is awesome in a fast game like T20. He got out some big players: Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, who started the batting for DC, and KL Rahul, a super-famous cricketer in India. Taking three wickets in your first match is like scoring three goals in your first soccer game—huge!
Sadly, SRH still lost the match, but Zeeshan was the star of the show for his team. People on X (that’s what Twitter is called now) went wild with excitement. One person wrote, “WELCOME TO THE IPL, ZEESHAN ANSARI. 3/42 on IPL debut with the wickets of Faf, JFMG, and KLR. The boy who played U19WC with Pant, Kishan, Sundar, Sarfaraz, Khaleel – finally making it big at the IPL.” Another fan said, “Interesting that SRH has gone with Zeeshan Ansari who is slower through the air and turns both ways.” That means he’s tricky because he can spin the ball in different directions, keeping the batsmen guessing.
Zeeshan’s Numbers: A Look at His Awesome Stats
Let’s check out some numbers to see how great Zeeshan is. Here’s a table that shows his stats from the UP T20 League and his IPL debut:
| Tournament | Matches | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| UP T20 League | 12 | 24 | 7.60 |
| IPL 2025 (Debut) | 1 | 3 | 7.00 |
In the UP T20 League, Zeeshan took 24 wickets in 12 matches—that’s a lot! In his IPL debut, he grabbed 3 wickets in just one game. The economy rate shows how many runs he gives away per over. A lower number is better, and Zeeshan’s numbers are solid. It’s like he’s a wall that batsmen can’t break through easily.
What’s Next for This Rising Cricket Star?
Zeeshan Ansari has already shown he’s got the skills and the cool-headedness to play in the IPL. His debut put him in the spotlight, and now everyone’s excited to see more. He’s special because he bowls slower than some other spinners and can make the ball spin both ways—like a dancer twirling left and right. That makes it super tough for batsmen to figure out what’s coming.
SRH will want him to keep up this magic in their next games. If he keeps taking wickets and stops the other team from scoring big, he could become one of their most important players. Fans are already calling him a “spin sensation,” and some even think he could be as good as famous spinners like Rashid Khan one day.
Why Zeeshan’s Story Is So Cool
Zeeshan Ansari’s journey is like a movie. He started in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, worked hard for years, and then burst onto the IPL stage with a bang. Taking three wickets in his first match against a strong team like Delhi Capitals is something kids dream about when they play cricket in their backyards.
His story teaches us that hard work pays off. Even though he was part of the U-19 team in 2016, he didn’t give up when it took time to reach the IPL. Instead, he kept practicing, got better, and shined in the UP T20 League to earn his big chance.
For a 6th-grader reading this, think of Zeeshan like a superhero with a cricket ball. His “superpower” is spinning the ball to trick the batsmen, and he’s just getting started. Whether you love cricket or are new to the game, Zeeshan’s debut is a fun story to follow. A leg-spinner is a bowler who uses spin to win, and three wickets means he got three batsmen out—pretty awesome, right?
Wrapping Up: A Star Is Born in IPL 2025
Zeeshan Ansari’s story is all about chasing dreams. He went from practicing in Lucknow to spinning balls in the IPL—all because he worked hard and never gave up. His dad’s a tailor, but Zeeshan stitched together a path to cricket stardom. At 25, he’s already making waves, and there’s so much more to come.
So, next time you watch SRH play, keep an eye on Zeeshan. He’s the guy with the big smile and the spinning ball, ready to trick batsmen and win fans like you! Who knows—maybe he’ll be India’s next big cricket hero. What do you think? Let’s cheer for this UP spinner as he takes on the world!
