India, May 18 -- Finding an Indian Premier League team seemed almost impossible for young leg spinner Zeeshan Ansari after the Uttar Pradesh selection committee, headed by former India seamer Praveen Kumar, ignored the bowler last season despite emerging the highest wicket-taker in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League last year with 24 scalps.

Sunrisers Hyderabad though kept track and picked him for Rs.40 lakh. He had a fine IPL debut, taking all three wickets against Delhi Capitals, though in a losing cause. Two of those victims were Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul. He has six wickets in nine games (avg 9.76), though SRH have been eliminated from the playoffs race.

The 25-year-old will play his first IPL game on home turf, against a Lucknow Super ...