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  • IPL 2023: Rajasthan Royals knock Punjab Kings out to stay alive

    Having lined the scale and breadth of India over the past 50-odd days as summer season set in, Dharamshala might want to have been a respite for Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Having assembled initially of the advertising and marketing marketing campaign full of hope – favor it has been the case every season – they’ve seen it veer off the monitor. A déjà vu second as quickly as as soon as extra for two sides which may be supremely proficient, nonetheless seem to lack the vanguard to get previous the group ranges.

    Punjab, who’ve been capable of qualify as soon as they arrived in Dharamshala, had had their future sealed on Wednesday itself. So this was of no tutorial curiosity to them. On the alternative hand, Rajasthan appeared to have broken the jinx remaining season, by making it to the final word, and on the halfway stage appeared every bit a contender for the title this 12 months.

    But, proper right here they’re, their future sealed and locked. Their future should not be of their very personal palms as they nonetheless keep throughout the fifth spot and for Rajasthan to qualify, every Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians ought to lose their remaining league matches on Sunday. For the file, even when Bangalore lose (not by an unlimited margin), they’re going to nonetheless make it to the playoffs ahead of Rajasthan as they’ve a larger internet run cost.

    Cat and mouse sport

    Chasing 188, a whole that appeared par, Rajasthan as quickly as as soon as extra misplaced Jos Buttler early for nought – the third successive and fifth of the season, which might be essentially the most for any batter. From there on the 73-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal saved Rajasthan firmly throughout the chase as the two left-handers scale back the risks out and batted sensibly. Although Jaiswal was not at his free-flowing most interesting, he nonetheless scored at a brisk tempo as Padikkal made it look easy in direction of a Punjab assault that appeared resigned to its future. But as Padikkal and Sanju Samson fell in successive overs, Punjab have been once more throughout the sport and when Jaiswal too departed throughout the fifteenth over, Rajasthan have been in extra than a spot of trouble.

    However, Shimron Hetmyer, as quickly as as soon as extra aced his place as a finisher as he found boundaries and sixes to keep up the required run-rate beneath study. Although leg-spinner Rahul Chahar was mixing up his deliveries and retaining batsmen guessing, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Sam Curran have been accountable of being predictable throughout the dying overs as Hetmyer and Riyan Parag found game-changing boundaries and sixes.

    Although every didn’t dangle spherical till the chase was completed, Dhruv Jorel – coming in as Impact Player – as quickly as as soon as extra carried out a cameo to take his workforce home as Rajasthan managed to remain for yet another day.

    As they confirmed all through their chase, repeatedly Rajasthan appeared to throw away all their good work — one factor that has flip right into a recurring theme this season — one which has lastly put them as soon as extra in a spot the place they could miss out on play-offs.

    Kings recuperate

    While there’s no denying the reality that Punjab have missed Jonny Bairstow on the excessive and missed the businesses of Liam Livingstone throughout the earlier half, they nonetheless had adequate experience throughout the batting group to fetch them on the very least 8 wins that will have carried them into playoffs. But, they’ve seldom checked out putting their objects collectively.

    With no hopes of qualification, Punjab appeared utterly drained out, dropping 4 wickets inside seven overs for merely 50 on board. From there on, it was as quickly as as soon as extra proper all the way down to their lower middle order to not merely rescue them nonetheless take them to a okay complete. It has been Punjab’s case all by the season the place they haven’t been ready to click on on as a batting unit and it continued on Friday as successfully.

    While their batting effectivity has been distinctive in patches, for nearly all of it, it has been extraordinary and nothing illustrated it larger than the dismissal of Livingstone, who swung his bat with out even having the ability to execute the shot. In a season the place most established names of their ranks have did not be fixed, Jitesh Sharma has stood out and has been one among many finds of the model. While India are positively not temporary on wicket-keeping selections, what models Sharma apart from the rest has been his capability to hit big photos as a finisher, a job that only some do and India badly lacks of their T20 set-up. Against Rajasthan, Sharma with 28-ball 44 (3×4, 3×6) as quickly as as soon as extra took Punjab out of a niche throughout the agency of Sam Curran as Rajasthan, sans R Ashwin, did not make inroads throughout the middle overs. The 64-run partnership, not solely launched Punjab once more into the game, however it moreover set a base for Shahrukh Khan to supply ending touches. The tall, well-built right-hander started tentatively as ever in direction of spinners and struggled when tempo was taken off the ball, nonetheless as quickly as he obtained going, he was onerous to stop as he accomplished with a typical 23-ball unbeaten 41 taking Punjab to 187/5. The remaining two overs alone worth Rajasthan 46 runs.

  • PBKS skipper Shikhar left pissed off after defeat to DC

    Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan was left “frustrated” after Delhi Capitals dealt a physique blow to their possibilities of creating the IPL 2023 play-offs proper right here on Wednesday.

    The 15-run defeat to Delhi Capitals has all nevertheless ended PBKS’ hopes on this model of the match and the earlier India stand-in skipper attributed the defeat to some poor batting taken by him, along with the selection to utilize left-arm spinner Harpeet Brar inside the twentieth over.

    Delhi Capitals scored an above-par 213/2 after which restricted PBKS to 198/8 no matter a herculean effort from PBKS’ England batter Liam Livingstone, who smashed a 48-ball 94 and was out closing ball.

    “It was frustrating, but I don’t think we bowled well in the first six overs. We should have taken some wickets the way the ball was moving around,” said Dhawan, whose bowlers allowed the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan and Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner sew collectively a 94-run partnership.

    Shikhar said his alternative to supply the ultimate over to left-arm spinner Brar too backfired as he ended up conceding 23 runs, along with two wides.

    “Even my option to bowl a spinner (Brar) closing over back-fired. And sooner than that the fast bowlers didn’t pitch the ball up inside the powerplay. That was the plan nevertheless we didn’t execute. It is hurting us.

    He moreover indicated that his bowlers’ lack of means to stop the runs in powerplays may be a big issue inside the crew’s attainable failed advertising marketing campaign this season.

    “Every powerplay we are giving 50-60 runs and not taking wickets,” he added.

    Delhi Capitals skipper moreover indicated he was not happy with the virtually half-a-dozen catches his fielders dropped, allowing PBKS to battle once more and leaving him on tenterhooks till the ultimate over.

    “It was a bad performance on the field but we will take the win. We lost the toss but batter with fluidity. You want consistency from your home venue,” said the Australian

  • Chris Gayle predicts IPL 2023 qualification eventualities: RCB in, PBKS out

    By India Today Sports Desk: T20 legend and former Royal Challengers Bangalore batter Chris Gayle feels Punjab Kings mustn’t going to make it to the play-offs of the Indian Premier League 2023 season.

    PBKS vs DC: Live

    Shikhar Dhawan’s workers at current have 12 components from 12 video video games and are throughout the working for the three remaining play-offs spots with 6 completely different teams. Punjab Kings nonetheless have two dwelling video video games remaining, the first one in opposition to Delhi Capitals on Wednesday, 17 May, after which the next one in opposition to Rajasthan Royals on 19.

    PBKS have sturdy possibilities of qualifying within the occasion that they deal with to win their subsequent two matches nonetheless Chris Gayle does not seem to agree. Speaking on Jio Cinema ahead of PBKS’ match in opposition to Delhi Capitals, Gayle said that he sees RCB qualifying ahead of PBKS.

    “Royal Challengers Bangalore have a better chance of qualifying as they have two games remaining. If they win their two games, they will see themselves in the top four. Punjab, I don’t think that they are going to qualify. I do not see them qualifying. But in cricket, nobody should write anyone off but KKR are going to be missing out as well,” Gayle said on Jio Cinema whereas discussing {{qualifications}} with Graeme Swann.

    Swann did not draw again from a cheeky dig on the batter and said that the teams may have licensed if he was throughout the workers.

    “It’s no surprise since you stopped playing, these teams have been outside the qualification zones. If they would have picked you, they surely would have qualified already,” Swann broke into laughter.

    At the second, Punjab, Bangalore, Kolkata and Rajasthan are tied at 12 components each. Kolkata and Rajasthan are at a critical disadvantange with merely 1 sport remaining, whereas RCB and Punjab have 2 video video games remaining.

    Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants are favourites for two of the remaining three spots with 15 components to their title from 13 matches.

  • David Warner blames batters’ lack of utility as DC are knocked out of play-off rivalry

    Delhi Capitals captain David Warner rued his facet’s poor batting technique as they’ve been knocked out of IPL play-offs rivalry after struggling a 31-run loss to Punjab Kings proper right here on Saturday.

    Chasing 168 on a slow-turner, the Australia left-handed batter gave DC a super start as his facet reached 69 for no loss on the end of powerplay, nevertheless they crashed to 88 for six in 10.1 overs and have been lastly restricted to 136 for 8.

    “The way we started and then losing six for 30, you are not going to win many games,” Warner talked about on the post-match presentation.

    “Another disappointing effort with the bat after the start we had.” DC will play their two remaining matches for pleasure solely.

    “I think we found the right combination but we keep losing 4-5 wickets in the middle and that is something you cannot do at this level.” He moreover rued the drop probability of Prabhsimran Singh who purchased a reprieve on 68 from Rilee Rossouw.

    “A few dropped chances cost us a few runs,” Warner talked about.

    “You have to play with pride, belief in yourself and play with freedom,” he talked about about DC’s technique inside the upcoming video video games.

    On a hard pitch the place none of his team-mates crossed 20, Prabhsimran confirmed one of the best ways in his 65-ball 103.

    All reward for Prabhsimran, PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan talked about: “I rate this knock quite high, playing that sort of a knock with that high strike-rate and the shots he has played against the turn as well — it was amazing.” Dhawan moreover hailed the spin duo of Harpreet Brar (4/30) and Rahul Chahar (2/16) and the tempo bowling led beautifully by Nathan Ellis (2/26).

    “Credit goes to the spinners and then the fast bowlers for closing it out.” The win saved PBKS’ slender playoff hopes alive.

    “I like how the boys have taken accountability. I’m very happy with one of the best ways they’re rising. This win presents us loads of confidence.

    “We know that we have to win both matches. We have to stay calm and focussed because staying calm and being focussed works for us.” PBKS will play their remaining two matches — in direction of Delhi Capitals (May 17) and Rajasthan Royals (May 19) — at Dharamsala.

  • IPL 2023: Preity Zinta hugs Prabhsimran Singh in pleasure after Punjab Kings’ batter hit hundred in opposition to Delhi Capitals

    By India Today Sports Desk: Prabhsimran Singh left the cricket fraternity in awe with the jaw-dropping knock he carried out inside the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Delhi Capitals (DC) match on Saturday, May 13.

    The Young Turk scored 103 runs off 65 balls with the help of 10 fours and 6 fours on the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. He moreover acquired the Player of the Match award after the Punjab-based group secured a 31-run win and saved alive their hopes of advancing to the playoffs.

    Seeing Prabhsimran score the hundred, PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta was over the moon. The 48-year-old well-liked Bollywood actress greeted the Punjab batter with a warmth hug and a broad smile on her face.

    After the match, Prabhsimran talked about that he wanted to bat deep into the innings after PBKS misplaced three wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma inside the first six overs.

    “I was not thinking a lot. Just when the wickets fell early, I wanted to bat deeper,” Prabhsimran talked about inside the post-match presentation ceremony.

    “I have been with the team for a long time and I have learnt a lot from my seniors. I was just trying to grab my opportunity,” he acknowledged.

    Prabhsimran was moreover involved in a 72 runs with Sam Curran after PBSK have been lowered to 45 for 3 in 5.4 overs.

    “The wicket was a little difficult because it was turning. I was thinking to build a partnership with Sam and then wanted to target the bowlers. Very important knock for me, I was waiting for this for a long time. Whenever I talk to the seniors, they tell me to make it big,” Prabhsimran added.

    In 12 matches in IPL 2023, Prabhsimran has scored 334 runs at a imply of 27.83 and a strike-rate of 153.91.

  • IPL 2023: Punjab dazzle; Mumbai out-dazzles

    Synopsis: Surya-Kishan dazzle to make a mockery of a 200-plus chase after Chawla stars while Jitesh Sharma flays a weak Mumbai bowling assault

    Surya-Kishan dazzle

    When Cameron Green swished wildly and missed always after Rohit Sharma had exited the third ball, the 215-run chase gave the impression to be going nowhere. But when Rishi Dhawan made the error of bowling measurement, Ishan Kishan had two murderous swings to thwack them over the onside boundary. Though Green fell throughout the subsequent over, the sixth of the innings, the game would change with the arrival of Suryakumar Yadav.

    The momentum completely switched throughout the middle overs between the ninth to eleventh in the direction of Punjab’s spinners Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar. With the pitch a batting magnificence by then, Kishan went so arduous on the spinners; they’d the feel of the slogs alongside together with his scything bat-swings that finish over his shoulder nonetheless the ball traversed throughout the typical areas like straight down the underside. As many as 38 runs acquired right here in these 3 overs and there was a discernible shift throughout the recreation: Punjab couldn’t now rely on the spinners and wanted to tug throughout the seamers. But if Kishan plundered spin, Surya robbed the pacers with a smile on his face.

    100- partnership up in a short time!@ishankishan51 & @surya_14kumar have made this chase look straightforward thus far.

    Follow the match – https://t.co/QDEf6eqX22#TATAIPL | #PBKSvMI pic.twitter.com/qERm0rYWzE

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    Not that there is an absence of a naturalness in Suryakumar’s batting, nonetheless that constructed considered modern-day T20 batting has seeped in so naturally. He hits into distinctive areas with ultra-powerful wrists. He nonetheless comes from the equivalent secure base that is nonnegotiable however when one have been to file out its mechanics – the various phrases like ‘set-up at crease’, ‘shape’, ‘unweighting of bat’, ‘correct position’, might be utilized.

    He walloped Sam Curran for two fours and two sixes throughout the thirteenth over that went for 27 that appeared to settle any doubts concerning the place the game was heading. The first ball was a SKY Special, a full-length ball outdoor off not sliced or squeezed or squirted away nonetheless with that rubber-wrist he gracefully sliced it up and over backward degree for a splendid six. The subsequent ball from Curran was a weak measurement ball outdoor off and Surya went down on his knee to dispose it over cowl boundary, and held his pose as properly. The subsequent was a fuller, tried yorker perhaps, nonetheless Surya whip-flicked it correct earlier a startled Curran who took evasive movement pretty than attempt any heroic catch. Then acquired right here the Surya sweep, the place he winds up as if he have been throwing a towel over his shoulder.

    𝙎𝙈𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙀𝘿!

    Fifty partnership up between Ishan Kishan & SKY

    1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ up for Mumbai Indians 🔥🔥

    Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/QDEf6eqX22 #TATAIPL | #PBKSvMI pic.twitter.com/WL7fnpiI8b

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    Both fell in the long term overs nonetheless with the satisfaction that the job was accomplished and Tilak Varma ensured it was a accomplished deal, smoking in plenty of huge hits.

    That’s that from Match 46.@mipaltan register a 6-wicket win in the direction of #PBKS in order so as to add to important elements to their tally.#MI chase down the purpose in 18.5 overs.

    Scorecard – https://t.co/IPLsfnImuP #TATAIPL #PBKSvMI #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/SeKR48s9Vv

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    Chawla stars

    Piyush Chawla has most likely essentially the most wickets (14) throughout the overs between 7 and 15. He bossed the middle overs however as soon as extra in the direction of Punjab Kings, taking out Shikhar Dhawan and Matt Short alongside together with his two completely completely different googlies.

    Piyush Chawla will get the vital factor breakthrough!

    Shikhar Dhawan steps down, nonetheless is stumped by Ishan Kishan.

    Live – https://t.co/IPLsfnImuP #TATAIPL #PBKSvMI #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/fd4blfWR11

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    Dhawan’s dismissal was a peach; Short’s was always coming. Dhawan had merely charged him to ping the straight boundary and acquired right here out as soon as extra nonetheless Chawla had the experience to anticipate that. He went barely wider and slid that finger-googly all through Dhawan who couldn’t be part of alongside together with his flail and was stumped.

    Chawla’s completely different googly is the back-of-the-hand mannequin when he wants it to spin further and a lot slower. The finger-one comes with tempo and camouflage. And so, he tossed up the back-of-the-hand fallacious’un to Short, who had an almighty swing at it, was too early alongside together with his hack, and was bowled.

    8️⃣2️⃣ runs
    4️⃣2️⃣ balls
    7️⃣ fours
    6️⃣ sixes

    It was raining fours and sixes courtesy of @liaml4893‘s supreme hanging 💥💥 #TATAIPL | #PBKSvMI

    Sit once more and profit from the Livingstone storm 🎥🔽 https://t.co/rTO5jP6pG7

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    Jofra’s nightmarish night time time

    It didn’t help their set off that Jofra Archer’s elbow hasn’t pretty healed however. Or so it appeared; Brett Lee positively thought so as he started to rely the extreme number of slower ones that Archer bowled on a loop suggesting, “the elbow is still sore”. As he continued to leak runs (21 in his 2nd, and 27 in his closing) Lee’s verdict turned further vital. “If you can’t do what you have been paid to do, then you are better off to go off the field … he is masking his sore elbow (with the slower ones).” And when Robin Uthappa beneficial it might probably be robust to comeback after injury, Lee didn’t let that sentiment linger: “Sorry, it comes to mind. You have to trick your body to forget the pain and bowl.”

    Jitesh’s poise

    There is an absence of bossiness in Jitesh’s physique language on the crease. Quite calm, common, and no discernible predetermination. In some sense, his prepare on the crease reminds certainly one of many Sri Lankan dasher Tillakaratne Dilshan, in his furious swings off measurement deliveries and throughout the sq. slices via degree balls that fall merely in want of yorker. Like Dilshan, Jitesh too likes to play the laps over transient fine-leg, though on Wednesday night time time, he shelved it completely, instead focussing on going downtown.

    Jitesh Sharma purchased going immediately with the bat and stitched a secure partnership with Liam Livingstone 💪🏻#TATAIPL | #PBKSvMI

    Revisit his knock proper right here 🎥🔽 https://t.co/xkpooOEX2N

    — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2023

    And to suppose he was an opener, until after a dip in variety put up 2017, he labored on his experience to remodel himself proper right into a finisher. As he instructed this newspaper, “As an opener it is very difficult to get into any IPL team. I was well aware. There was a dip also. Post 2017, I was not able to perform well. I worked on my skills.” He and Livingstone did their best, nonetheless have been out-dazzled by the Surya-Kishan current.

  • IPL 2023: Big-hitter MS Dhoni displaying glimpses of his traditional self is phenomenal to see, says Robin Uthappa

    By India Today Sports Desk: Former India batter Robin Uthappa was in awe of Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni’s one different fundamental demise overs cameo as a result of the CSK captain nailed consecutive sixes off the last word over to help his side attain the 200-run mark in the direction of Punjab Kings.

    Coming in to bat inside the closing over after Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed, Dhoni scored 13 off three deliveries, together with two additional sixes to his IPL tally of 57 inside the closing over. Sam Curran’s low full toss resulted in a fierce sq. decrease adopted by a hammered blow over deep mid-wicket.

    It was the second time this season that Dhoni had amassed back-to-back maximums. The earlier event, which moreover occurred on the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai when the hosts carried out Lucknow Super Giants of their first residence recreation of the season, involved Mark Wood bowling.

    “MS Dhoni coming and doing what he does best. I think he saves it for Chennai. You want him to come out and play these big shots. You know, in a sense, it could be his swansong as well. Keeping that in mind, you want to see MS Dhoni who he is, and who he truly was when he came into the game. This is what he was,” Robin Uthappa said whereas speaking on Jio Cinema all through IPL 2023.

    MS Dhoni now has 4 sixes in his last seven balls at Chepauk, unfold all through two video video games. In reality, Dhoni has hit six sixes inside the closing over of his last three matches, harkening once more to his glory days as a result of the Chennai Super Kings and India captain.

    Uthappa said that MS Dhoni was a big six-hitter when he started as a teen in worldwide cricket and the gang loves it each time he’ll get going as rapidly as he includes the crease.

    “He was a massive big hitter. And to see him play these shots as soon as he comes is phenomenal. And the crowd is loving it and everyone who knows MS Dhoni is loving it,” Uthappa added.

  • IPL 2023: Big-hitter MS Dhoni displaying glimpses of his traditional self is phenomenal to see, says Robin Uthappa

    By India Today Sports Desk: Former India batter Robin Uthappa was in awe of Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni’s one different fundamental demise overs cameo as a result of the CSK captain nailed consecutive sixes off the last word over to help his side attain the 200-run mark in the direction of Punjab Kings.

    Coming in to bat inside the closing over after Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed, Dhoni scored 13 off three deliveries, together with two further sixes to his IPL tally of 57 inside the closing over. Sam Curran’s low full toss resulted in a fierce sq. decrease adopted by a hammered blow over deep mid-wicket.

    It was the second time this season that Dhoni had amassed back-to-back maximums. The earlier event, which moreover occurred on the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai when the hosts carried out Lucknow Super Giants of their first residence recreation of the season, involved Mark Wood bowling.

    “MS Dhoni coming and doing what he does best. I think he saves it for Chennai. You want him to come out and play these big shots. You know, in a sense, it could be his swansong as well. Keeping that in mind, you want to see MS Dhoni who he is, and who he truly was when he came into the game. This is what he was,” Robin Uthappa acknowledged whereas speaking on Jio Cinema all through IPL 2023.

    MS Dhoni now has 4 sixes in his closing seven balls at Chepauk, unfold all through two video video games. In fact, Dhoni has hit six sixes inside the closing over of his closing three matches, harkening once more to his glory days as a result of the Chennai Super Kings and India captain.

    Uthappa acknowledged that MS Dhoni was a big six-hitter when he started as a teen in worldwide cricket and the gang loves it each time he’ll get going as shortly as he entails the crease.

    “He was a massive big hitter. And to see him play these shots as soon as he comes is phenomenal. And the crowd is loving it and everyone who knows MS Dhoni is loving it,” Uthappa added.

  • Jitesh Sharma: An airforce aspirant who carried out cricket for additional marks

    The journey of Jitesh Sharma is one amongst a kind. He was not at all involved with cricket. His plan was to play cricket till Class X so that he would get additional marks throughout the boards, which is ready to help him to cross the cut-off file of the NDA examination. He wished to be an airforce officer, nonetheless future had one factor else in retailer for him.

    “I never wanted to play cricket. I never had a childhood coach. I learnt cricket from watching the videos on YouTube; most of them were of Adam Gilchrist and Sourav Ganguly. I always wanted to go into defence. I wanted to be an air force officer,” Jitesh tells The Indian Express in a free-wheeling chat.

    “I was very fond of that blue shirt. To appear for the NDA exam, you need a specific cut-off. In Maharashtra, there was a rule – If any player, who has played till the state level, he or she would get 25 marks extra. That was the catch. For that extra 5 per cent, I started playing cricket.”

    In 2011, on the age of 16, he appeared for the district trials of the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) after the insistence of his neighbour Amar More.

    “Amar More, my neighbour, saw me playing in a school cricket match. At his insistence, I joined the cricket club in Amravati. The plan was simple: after the boards I will quit cricket, but it never happened,” Jitesh narrates his story.

    Cut to the present; he is an on a regular basis for Vidarbha and Punjab Kings. He is executing the perform of a finisher to perfection. He has already earned an India call-up and above all he has left an infinite impression on former India opener Virender Sehwag, who wished him in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

    Punjab Kings’ Jitesh Sharma loses his wicket in the midst of the Indian Premier League cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings in Mumbai, India. (PTI)

    Sharma had a breakthrough season in IPL 2022, the place he scored 234 runs in 12 matches however it was his strike price 163.64 that caught all people’s consideration. In this 12 months’s IPL, he as soon as extra is doing his enterprise successfully for Punjab Kings. Batting at 6 and 7, as a rule, he has scored 145 runs with a strike price of 150.

    Jitesh started the season with a 10-ball 21 in direction of Kolkata Knight Riders, adopted it with 27 off 16 in direction of Rajasthan Royals, a 27-ball 41, which practically gave the scare to the defending champions Gujarat Titans after which 25 off 7 balls in direction of Mumbai Indians, the place he clobbered 4 sixes to underline his means as a dependable middle-order batter.

    “Last season, when I was picked by Punjab Kings, Anil Kumble sir specifically told me that there is no expectation from me. He said ‘ be yourself, don’t get overawed and enjoy your cricket.’ It took all the pressure off me,” he says.

    Punjab Kings Jitesh Sharma performs a shot in the midst of the IPL 2023 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (PTI)

    “It is all about situation awareness. At No. 4, you get more balls. You can manipulate the situation, hit a boundary, runs twos and threes, but at 6 or 7, you will have to attack every ball. So I try to play what the situation is, what’s the field placement and play my shots accordingly,” he gives.

    Jitesh has made his determine for his power-hitting, nonetheless one facet of the game that he enjoys his working between the wickets. He says, “You realise the importance of singles when team needs three of one ball and you end up losing by a solitary run. Every run in T20 matters. Strike rotation in T20 cricket is as important as hitting sixes. It doesn’t allow the bowlers to settle down in their rhythm. You hit a boundary and rotate the strike straight away, it irks the bowler,” he laughs.

    Jitesh is an IPL champion; he gained the trophy with Mumbai Indians in 2017. He not at all obtained to play any match, nonetheless that two-year stint launched a change in his cricket. He realised that being an opener should not be going to get him recognition and on the age of 24, he decided to fluctuate his recreation and started batting throughout the middle order.

    “When I was picked for MI, I knew that to get a chance in this team is going to be difficult. I was an opener. They had four keepers. Jos Buttler, Parthiv Patel, Nicholas Pooran and myself. But just be in that dressing room, training with the best Indian as well as foreign cricketers was everything I ever asked for,” he says.

    Then acquired right here the dip.

    Punjab Kings batter Jitesh Sharma performs a shot in the midst of the IPL 2023 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans, at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. (PTI)

    As an opener this can be very robust to get into any IPL workers. I was successfully aware. There was a dip moreover. Post 2017, I was not able to hold out successfully. I labored on my experience. As a cricketer, the work not at all stops. You should improve day-to-day. It was not a psychological blockage, nonetheless I was not able to adapt to my new perform,” he says.

    Growing up, Jitesh not at all had a coach nonetheless he found a mentor and a pal in Ruchir Mishra, a Nagpur-based cricket journalist, who handed away in the midst of the pandemic two years previously.

    “Ruchir bhai was very close to me. He was a mentor to me. He had more belief in my skill sets than I ever had. He would tell me ‘You will make Vidarbha proud. You will play for India.’ I would be like kya yaar Ruchir bhai kaise sapne dikha rahe ho. When I got that India call-up, the first person who came to my mind was Ruchir bhai. Hopefully, Ruchir bhai is proud of me, since I too have that self-belief in me that he always wanted to see,” says Jitesh.

    Earlier this 12 months, Jitesh was often called up as cowl for Sanju Samson in the midst of the T20 assortment in direction of Sri Lanka. Jitesh moreover had an excellent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Vidarbha, scoring 224 runs in ten video video games at a strike price of 175.00.

    “I was not expecting the India call. It was very exciting as well as challenging. My parents were happy, but I was a bit overwhelmed. For me the plan was to play cricket till Class X and now, suddenly, I had a chance to play for India. It was quite surreal,” says Jitesh.

    Jitesh’s wicketkeeping story may also be like his six-hitting.

    “In the varsity workers alternative, they requested if anyone may maintain. I raised by hand and picked up the ball, actually increased than our ex-keeper. Before that, I used to face behind the stumps in plastic ball cricket in gully cricket.

    “Thereafter, I started watching videos of Gilchrist and watched his reflexes and worked on it,” he says. From most likely not planning to play cricket to altering his batting trend to show into an affect hitter, it’s been some journey.

  • Arshdeep Singh deserves participant of the match award, not me: Punjab Kings captain Sam Curran

    By India Today Sports Desk: Punjab Kings defeated Mumbai Indians on the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, 22 April. Punjab clinched a closing over thriller in a extreme scoring recreation, courtesy of Arshdeep Singh’s sensational 4/29, which included 2 wickets throughout the closing over of the match. Punjab captain Sam Curran was given the participant of the match award for his sensational 55 off 29 balls that obtained Punjab out of a limbo throughout the first innings and long-established a base for the counter-attack throughout the second half of the first 20 overs of the game.

    IPL 2023: Points Table

    Curran blended with Harpreet Bhatia and Jitesh Sharma to take Punjab’s ranking hovering above the 200-run mark and helped submit a dominating full in direction of Mumbai. Curran was on stage collectively along with his captaincy and marshalled his troops successfully to a 13-run victory for which he was given the participant of the match award. Curran spoke all through the presentation ceremony and talked about that Punjab fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was the deserving winner of the award and referred to as the win a selected one.

    “Yes, pretty special. An amazing ground and the atmosphere is incredible. MI are a tough team. To win here and defending a total was great for us. I don’t deserve the POTM, Arshdeep does. But I did my bit and took responsibility. The others did their job and we are coming together. Hope to have Shikhar Back and also Rabada. So, let’s see how it goes,” Curran talked about.

    The win meant that Punjab switch as a lot because the fifth spot throughout the league desk with 8 elements from 7 video video games. They workforce has a variety of senior execs injured this season nonetheless Curran revealed that they’d a nice and relaxed vibe going spherical in the meanwhile.

    “It’s a nice vibe in the dressing room and we are keeping it simple. They tell us to enjoy ourselves and be positive. Shikhar is a relaxed guy and he helps us stay grounded. I am happy with the win and hope Shikhar gets fit and leads the side. I am enjoying my captaincy in the interim. 2 wins in 3 games,” the Englishman concluded.

    — ENDS —