"Apologies for doubting you" - CSK fans erupt as Sisanda Magala turns in stellar all-round display in SA vs WI 1st T20I

South African all-rounder Sisanda Magala's all-round exploits in a rain-curtailed first T20I against the West Indies took Twitter by storm, with fans of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) buzzing ahead of IPL 2023.

The 32-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder was announced by the four-time IPL champions as a replacement for injured Blackcaps fast-bowler Kyle Jamieson. He turned heads at Supersport Park in Centurion on Saturday, March 25, almost helping the Proteas to win the game.

After striking a couple of lusty blows en route to an unbeaten five-ball 18, Magala returned to put South Africa back in the game with the ball. Needing to defend 17 off two overs, he found himself on a hat-trick as he executed the bouncer to perfection.

He finished with returns of 3/21 off his two overs in a match that was curtailed to 11 overs per side. While West Indies eventually prevailed in their chase of 132, fans of CSK were stoked at the prospect of the all-rounder replicating his heroics in another yellow jersey very soon.

Sisanda Magala could miss CSK's first two IPL 2023 matches

Magala, who carries a reputation for bowling hard lengths and possessing a mean yorker, was signed up earlier this week by the Super Kings for his base price of ₹50 lakh. He joins Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana and fellow South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius as potential death bowling options in the side.

However, there is a good chance that he could arrive late, should he be selected in South Africa's ODI squad to take on The Netherlands. The series is set to commence on March 31, the very day the Super Kings draw the curtains open on the IPL when they take on defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad.

While the series concludes on April 2, CSK will play their first home game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) the next day. If Magala is selected to play against the Dutch, it's hard to see him getting off the flight and coming straight into the playing XI for that game as well.

CSK endured their worst-ever finish to an IPL season last year with just 8 points as they occupied the penultimate position in the table. MS Dhoni is set to lead the Yellow Army once again in what is touted to be his final season in the tournament.

Is Sisanda Magala the answer to CSK's death-bowling question mark ahead of IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!

About the author

Sooryanarayanan started off as a non-contracted text commentator at Sportskeeda 3 years ago and is today, the Cricket Commentary Manager. An MBA degree holder, a burning passion for the sport eventually led him to take it up professionally. He also writes insightful Feature pieces from time to time.

Sooryanarayanan sees cricket as a reflection of life’s ebbs and flows, and believes that the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy perfectly showcased it via the determination, courage and the never-give-up attitude displayed on field. He is a staunch Team India supporter and believes that the team has a very bright future. He admires MS Dhoni for how he approaches the sport and life as they come, being unfazed by both victory and defeat.

Sooryanarayanan tries to stick to facts and relies heavily on numerical data to present them. Keeping an objective and neutral view is one of his biggest reporting strengths, along with conducting thorough research and verifying all facts. His exploits in his field have led him to interview some star cricketers like Rovman Powell, Chamari Athapaththu, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Peter Hatzoglou, and more.

When not immersed in Cricket, Sooryanarayanan loves to watch movies and web series, which helps him to focus better when he’s back to work.

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