IPL 2022: Who is Punjab Kings pacer Vaibhav Arora?
Punjab Kings comfortably defeated Chennai Super Kings by 54 runs in match number 11 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on Sunday. Debutant Vaibhav Arora played a key role in PBKS' victory. He picked two wickets and conceded just 21 runs to keep things in control for them. Here, we present the journey of this promising youngster so far.
Arora moved to Himachal Pradesh in 2018
Arora was born on December 14, 1997, in Ambala. He moved to Chandigarh when he was 14 and enrolled himself in DAV Senior Secondary School. He joined a local cricket academy thereafter. Arora was picked in Punjab's Under-19 team camp thrice, however, he never got the opportunity to play. He then moved to Himachal Pradesh in 2018, where he joined the HP Cricket Academy.
Hat-trick on List-A debut
Arora represents Himachal Pradesh in domestic cricket and made his First-Class debut in 2019. He made his T20 debut in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2021, where his 10 wickets in six games helped Himachal Pradesh reach the quarter-finals. During his debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, Arora took a hat-trick against Maharashtra, finishing with figures of 4/45.
Roped in by PBKS in IPL 2022 Auction
Kolkata Knight Riders had picked Arora in the IPL 2021 Auction for Rs. 20 lakh, but he did not get an opportunity to play for them. Before that, he served as a net bowler for PBKS in IPL 2020. During the IPL 2022 Auction, PBKS acquired the services of the talented pacer for Rs. 2 crore after an intense bidding war with KKR.
When he contemplated on quitting cricket
Arora thought of giving up cricket a few years back due to financial issues, but his coach Ravi Verma supported him. The latter helped him move to Himachal Pradesh as a professional in 2018. As a result, Arora got associated with Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association.
Sensational debut against CSK
Arora's inclusion in the Playing XI took everyone by surprise as he replaced senior pacer Sandeep Sharma. Nevertheless, the youngster repaid the faith shown in him. He dismissed veterans like Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali inside the powerplay overs, inflicting the kind of early damage CSK could not recover from. Arora finished with impressive figures of 2/21 in his four overs.
Arora has played alongside Arshdeep Singh in the past
Arora has been playing alongside fellow PBKS bowler Arshdeep Singh since their junior-level days. The duo has played many games for Sri Guru Gobind Singh College in Chandigarh. Arora and Arshdeep share a great bond.
