The Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan is leading his team from the front and using every opportunity to prove that he is the best skipper that PBKS could have have. Though the Punjab team lost its last match which was played against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad, yet Shikhar Dhawan carried the whole Punjab innings on his shoulder and from the score of 88/9, he took his team to the respectable score of 143/9 in the stipulated 20 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan opened the innings with Prabhsimran Singh (0) and remained unbeaten at the score of 99 runs (66 balls, 12 fours & 5 sixes). While wickets kept on falling on a regular basis, Shikhar Dhawan stayed there for the complete innings and other than Sam Curran (22 runs, 15 balls, 3 fours & 1 six), no other batter was able to touch the two digit mark.
Sunrisers Hyderabad managed to register its first victory by successfully chasing the target with 17 balls remaining in its innings and 8 wickets in hand. Rahul Tripathi was the highest scorer for SRH as he scored 74 runs (48 balls, 10 fours & 3 sixes) and Aiden Markram also played a useful innings of 37 runs (21 balls, 6 fours).
Shikhar Dhawan’s team may have lost the match but he was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his superb performance and he also didn’t miss the chance to take a jibe at the sports anchor Harsha Bhogle during the presentation ceremony.
Some time back, Harsha Bhogle made a tweet in which he expressed his concern over Shikhar Dhawan’s strike rate. He tweeted, “Shikhar Dhawan’s innings will raise, should raise, the question of whether you can have an anchor batter, especially in these conditions. You can appear to have increased your strike rate by the end, but the 30 balls at run-a-ball can hurt.”
Shikhar Dhawan's innings will raise, should raise, the question of whether you can have an anchor batter, especially in these conditions. You can appear to have increased your strike rate by the end, but the 30 balls at run-a-ball can hurt.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 5, 2023
During the presentation ceremony, Shikhar Dhawan had a light moment with Harsha Bhogle as he said, “I hope you’ll be happy with my strike rate, Harsha.”
Gabbar at his best, both with bat and wittiness! Agree?
