30 May 2025 ko Headingley, Leeds mein Vitality Blast North Group ke match mein, David Willey ne apni purani team Yorkshire ke khilaaf ekdum jhakaas performance di. Northants ke kaptaan Willey ne 24 ball mein 54 run thok diye, jismein 6 chakke shamil the, aur bowling mein 3 wicket leke (3 for 42) Yorkshire ka band bajaya. Northants ne pehli baar itna bada T20 score banaya – 237 for 4 – aur usko defend karke 13 run se match jeet liya.
Willey ka bat se hungama
Northants ne toss jeetke pehle batting chuni aur Willey aur Justin Broad ne milke tabahi machayi. Willey ne No. 4 pe aake 24 ball mein 54 run koot diye, jismein 6 chakke aur ekdum mast leg-side hitting thi. Unka fifty sirf 20 ball mein aaya! Saath mein Broad ne bhi career-best 67 run banaye (32 ball, 5 chakke). Dono ne 6 over mein 85 run ki partnership thok di. Matthew Breetzke (36 off 16), Saif Zaib (26* off 8), aur Ricardo Vasconcelos (48) ne bhi full support diya. Yorkshire ke bowlers ki dhulayi hui – debutant O’Rourke ne 4 over mein 67 run diye, aur Liam Guthrie ne 3 over mein 68 run khaaye. Northants ka yeh T20 ka sabse bada score tha!
Willey ki bowling ne Yorkshire ko rula diya
Yorkshire ko 238 run ka target chase karna tha – yeh unka T20 mein sabse bada chase hota. Par Willey ne apni left-arm pace se shuruaat mein hi unki waat laga di. Pehle 5 ball mein Yorkshire 9 for 3 pe aa gaya! Willey ne Yorkshire ke new captain Dawid Malan ko deep midwicket pe out kiya, fir agli ball pe Will Luxton ko slip mein pakadwaya. Adam Lyth ka run-out bhi hua, aur Yorkshire ki shuruaat ekdum kharab ho gayi. Willey ne James Wharton (58 off 29) ko bhi bowled kiya, jab woh pull shot khelne gaya. Unke 3 for 42 ne match ka rukh badal diya.
Yorkshire ne fightback kiya, James Wharton aur Aussie all-rounder Will Sutherland (dono ne 58-58 run banaye) ke saath. Sutherland ne toh ek over mein 4 chakke maar ke crowd ko khada kar diya. Par Lloyd Pope (2 for 37) aur Ben Sanderson (2 for 29) ne pressure banaye rakha. Last over mein George Scrimshaw ne 22 run defend kiye, aur Yorkshire 224 for 9 pe ruk gaya, 13 run se haar gaya.
Willey ka ghar-wapasi dhamaka
Willey ke liye yeh match ekdum special tha. Woh 2016 se 2022 tak Yorkshire ke liye khela, T20 ka captain bhi raha, par 2023 mein apne boyhood club Northants ke saath wapas aaya. Yorkshire se uska jana thodi controversy ke saath hua tha – usne club ke contract handling aur racism scandal ke baare mein khule aam bol tha. Headingley pe wapas aake usne dikha diya ki woh ab bhi T20 ka boss hai. Northants ke liye yeh jeet ek bada statement thi, aur Willey ka yeh performance unke “ghar wapas aane” ka perfect example tha.
Yorkshire ki haar, Northants ka josh
Yorkshire ke liye yeh haar ek jhatka tha, kyunki unki shuruaat kharab hui aur chase mein wapas aana mushkil ho gaya. Wharton aur Sutherland ne dum dikhaya, par Willey aur Northants ke bowlers ke aage unki nahi chali. Northants ke liye yeh jeet unke Vitality Blast 2025 ke campaign ka ek zabardast start hai. Willey ke saath Broad, Breetzke, aur Zaib ne dikha diya ki unki team mein kitna dum hai.
Fans ka reaction
X pe fans ne Willey ki tareef ke pul baandhe. @Rokte_Amarr_KKR ne likha ki Willey ne 54 off 24 aur 3 for 42 ke saath “front se lead kiya”. @JaayShaan ne Northants ki 13-run jeet aur Broad ke 67 run ki taarif ki. The Cricketer magazine ne bhi Willey ke is performance ko Vitality Blast 2025 ke opening night ka highlight bataya.
Aage kya?
Northants ab Vitality Blast mein apni quarter-final wali form ko aage le jaana chahega, aur Willey ka yeh form unke liye bada plus hai. Yorkshire ko jaldi recover karna hoga, kyunki North Group mein competition kafi tight hai.
#BBD0E0
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