The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed the rise and fall of various franchises since its inception in 2008. Among the old guard, including teams like Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Delhi Capitals (DC), only three franchises have yet to secure a title win.
One of the cricketing legends associated with PBKS, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, is Virender Sehwag. However, in a candid admission, Sehwag has suggested that his time with the franchise coincided with a notable decline in his form.
“Jab mein Punjab mein gaya tab mera strike rate gir gaya. Woh kehte hai na ke jaisi sangati waisa behave karte ho. Toh waha ki sangati waisi hi thi. Jeet te the nahi, khel te acha the nahi, toh mera game aur thoda kharab ho gaya (When I went to Punjab, my strike rate went down. There’s a saying you behave like your company. Same was the case. They did not win anything or played well),” Virender Sehwag remarked during an interview on Star Sports.
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The IPL 2024 season began with a lukewarm start for Punjab Kings. Despite clinching victory in their opening match against Delhi Capitals, PBKS faced defeat against RCB in their subsequent encounter.
Following RCB’s triumph over PBKS, skipper Faf Du Plessis praised Virat Kohli for his pivotal knock, emphasizing the importance of his innings on a challenging pitch. Virat’s dynamic performance, supported by Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik’s contributions, secured RCB’s four-wicket victory at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
— Bravo 2.0 (@MrCricket183) March 25, 2024
Reflecting on Kohli’s role, Faf du Plessis stated, “Virat was important on that pitch. He is still enjoying himself, very passionate about playing cricket. Fresh and motivated to do well.”
Discussing the tense run chase, Du Plessis admitted to feeling the pressure internally despite maintaining composure externally. He highlighted the significance of the new Impact Player rule and expressed satisfaction with Karthik’s finishing prowess.
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In the match itself, despite PBKS batters making promising starts, they failed to capitalize on them. With skipper Shikhar Dhawan, Jitesh Sharma, and Sam Curran contributing decently, PBKS posted 176/6 in 20 overs. RCB’s Mohammed Siraj and Glenn Maxwell claimed two wickets each, with support from Yash Dayal and Alzarri Joseph.
Chasing 177, RCB faced wobbles but Kohli’s stellar innings stabilized their pursuit. After his dismissal, Karthik and Lomror’s fireworks guided RCB to victory. Harpreet Brar and Kagiso Rabada stood out with the ball for PBKS. The IPL continues to be a rollercoaster ride, offering thrilling encounters and unexpected twists with each match.
