Allrounder Shahbaz Ahamad has been traded from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a move ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. According to an official release from the IPL, the trade also involved bowler Mayank Dagar moving from SRH to RCB.
Shahbaz Ahamad, who has played 39 IPL matches so far, joins SRH after representing RCB since 2020. With 14 IPL wickets to his name and best figures of 3/7, Shahbaz brings his bowling skills to the SRH lineup.
On the other hand, Mayank Dagar will now be part of RCB after previously being part of the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) franchise. In the 2023 IPL season, he played just three games and took one wicket. The right-handed all-rounder represented SRH last year, taking just one wicket in the three games he played. Dagar has taken a total of 55 wickets in 54 T20Is in his career.
Shahbaz Ahamad has not only been impressive with the ball but also with the bat, scoring 321 runs in his IPL career at an average of almost 17. He has played three ODIs and two T20Is for India as well. His most prolific IPL season was in 2022, where he scored 219 runs in 16 matches at an average of over 27.
Speaking about the upcoming season, both SRH and RCB will have new management. RCB, who narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season, will have Andy Flower as their new head coach. Meanwhile, SRH, who finished at the bottom of the table in the previous season, will be led by New Zealand legend Daniel Vettori as their head coach.
The trades of Shahbaz Ahamad and Mayank Dagar between SRH and RCB indicate the strategic planning and player acquisitions as teams gear up for the 2024 IPL season. With new coaches at the helm, both franchises will be looking to make an impact and improve on their previous performances.
