NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings find themselves grappling with a string of defeats in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, exacerbating their struggles in the absence of star player Shikhar Dhawan due to injury.
Their latest setback came in a narrow three-wicket loss to the Gujarat Titans, leaving the Preity Zinta co-owned franchise languishing in ninth place in the standings.
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The defeat marked Punjab's fourth consecutive loss, with Gujarat Titans' Rahul Tewatia delivering a match-winning unbeaten blitz. With Dhawan sidelined, all-rounder Sam Curran has assumed the captaincy role, but his performances with both bat and ball have failed to impress.
India cricket legend Virender Sehwag minced no words in his criticism of Punjab Kings' approach, particularly questioning their decision-making regarding player roles and lineup adjustments.
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"If I was in the PBKS dugout, I would not even pick him in my team, neither as a batting all-rounder nor as a bowling all-rounder. I wouldn't pick him," Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz, highlighting Curran's underwhelming contributions.
Sehwag further emphasized his point, stating, "A player is not of any use if he can bowl a bit and bat a bit. You either bat properly and win us the match, or you bowl and win us the game. This bits and pieces part I don't understand."
Statistically, Curran's performance this season has been lackluster, managing only 152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 116.03, with just one half-century to his name. Despite taking 11 wickets for Punjab Kings, his overall impact has been questioned amidst the team's struggles.
As the IPL 2024 season progresses, Punjab Kings find themselves at a crossroads, facing mounting pressure to arrest their slide and salvage their campaign without the services of key player Shikhar Dhawan.
1/8:Sai Kishore stars in Gujarat Titans' win over Punjab Kings
<p>Sai Kishore stars in Gujarat Titans' win over Punjab Kings </p>AFP
2/8:R Sai Kishore
<p>R Sai Kishore starred on a dominant day for the spinners as Gujarat Titans tamed Punjab Kings by three wickets for their fourth win in the 2024 IPL.</p>AFP
3/8:Prabhsimran Singh
<p>Punjab Kings made a brisk start in the powerplay but collapsed dramatically after Prabhsimran Singh's (35 off 21) dismissal triggered by a charge down the wicket.</p>AFP
4/8:Spin trio
<p>The spin trio of Sai Kishore (4/33), Rashid Khan (1/15), and Noor Ahmed (2/20) exposed an ill-equipped Punjab Kings with their guile to dismiss them for a below-par 142.</p>AFP
5/8:Shashank and Ashutosh fell cheaply
<p>The uncapped duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma fell cheaply, worsening Punjab's situation. </p>AFP
6/8:Shubman Gill
<p>Shubman Gill (35 off 29) and Sai Sudharsan (31 off 33) struggled with stroke-making, while Livingstone accounted for dangerous David Miller.</p>AFP
7/8:Liam Livingstone
<p>Liam Livingstone struck twice in the middle overs to keep Punjab Kings alive in the game, but didn't get much support from Harpreet Brar, who leaked 35 in his four overs.</p>AFP
