In the qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals, Trent Boult could bowl only a couple of overs before an injury forced him to leave the field. So, as Mumbai Indians geared up for the Indian Premier League final, there were doubts over Boult’s availability.

But the New Zealand pace ace not only featured in the summit clash against Delhi Capitals, but also made his way into the record books, becoming the first player to take a wicket off the very first ball of an IPL final. And his figures of 3-30 against his former team, guided Mumbai Indians to its fifth title.

While he admitted that he enjoys bowling in the PowerPlay, Boult — who was adjudged the player of the match — was happy to have contributed to the team’s success. “It has been a good couple of months. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being with the franchise. And to get across the line is all worth it,” Boult said.

He was part of Delhi for two seasons — in 2018 and 2019. While he scalped 18 wickets in 2018, the left-arm pacer had a forgettable outing last year as he could grab only five wickets. This resulted in Delhi Capitals trading him to Mumbai Indians just before the auction.

Donning the Mumbai colours, Boult returned to form, grabbing 25 wickets. While a niggle did make him a doubtful starter in the final, Boult was determined to play. “(There was) a little bit of a niggle coming in, but of course I wanted to be on the stage doing my thing. Sometimes there are nerves but I’d like to say I’m relatively experienced, so it was just another match,” the Kiwi said.

“(It was) just another match, and I was clear what I had to do. Tried to take a few early wickets, swing the new ball a little bit, that’s been my role in the side…”

Even Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was happy with the way Boult took charge of the bowling department, along with Jasprit Bumrah. “We wanted someone who could bowl with the new ball and get those wickets in the Powerplay. It’s a no-brainer that Trent is the best with the new ball, when it comes to swinging the ball back to the batsman. We always wanted him in the squad and luckily for us, we got him traded from Delhi,” Rohit said.

“He has not disappointed and has come and done the job with the new ball. He has bowled well in the middle overs and also at the back-end a few times. He is an asset for the squad.”