The action that unfolded on the first and last ball of every IPL season

2011:

First Ball:

Abdullah was the Emerging Player of the Year in 2011

After umpire Billy Doctrove’s greetings to the Chennai crowd “Chennai Vanakkam” and call to start proceedings, left arm orthodox KKR bowler Iqbal Abdullah bowled a length ball from around the wicket as Aniruddha Srikkanth of CSK leaned forward in defence. It was the first and only time that a spinner had opened the bowling in an IPL season opener.

Last Ball:

73 runs required from 6 balls- this is what the match equation read at the end of RCB’s 19th over in the final of 2011. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all set to lift the IPL trophy in consecutive editions, handed the ball to Suresh Raina to complete the formalities. Saurabh Tiwary who faced the last ball, a flighted delivery outside off stump, managed to deposited the ball in the stands over the extra cover region, only to see his team go down by 58 runs.