IPL 2023: Suresh Raina backs Shikhar Dhawan after incredible show with bat, says 'He batted responsibly'
IPL 2023: Suresh Raina backs Shikhar Dhawan after incredible show with bat
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has backed Shikhar Dhawan for his role in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after helping his side Punjab Kings to back-to-back wins. Dhawan scored 40 in the opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and he followed that with an unbeaten 86-run knock against Rajasthan Royals (RR) to help his side to gain early momentum.
"He was performing the anchor's role. Much is made about his strike rate but he played an impactful role. Look at the fact that he's made 450+ runs in 7 consecutive IPL seasons. He knew that when the dew falls, the pace becomes easier. He batted responsibly and that's why Punjab pulled off the performance they did. Shikhar had an important role to play in that,” said Raina while speaking on Dhawan.
Dhawan and Co in top form
Explosive half-centuries by openers Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shikhar Dhawan and an opening partnership of 90 runs between the duo powered Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a massive 197/4 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.
On a batting-friendly track, RR failed to capitalize in the start and lost surprise opener Ravichandran Ashwin (0) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (11) early. While Sanju Samson (42) and last season’s Orange Cap winner Jos Buttler (19) tried to keep RR in the contest, it never quite happened for them as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
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Useful contributions from Devdutt Padikkal (21), Riyan Parag (20) and Shimron Hetmyer kept RR’s hopes alive until last but could help them avoid a narrow defeat and were restricted to 192/7 in their 20 overs and lost the contest. Nathan Ellis was the pick of the bowlers for PBK, having scalped four wickets.
The win saw PBKS join Gujarat Titans and go joint-top with four points from the opening two matches of the IPL. They will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and will look to register three wins in a row.
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