Shikhar Dhawan Lets Out What Backfired for PBKS in 56-run loss to LSG at PCA Stadium

Punjab Kings captain Shikhar Dhawan (1) was honest enough to admit a strategic mistake he committed during the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2023 Match 38 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.

Dhawan, who returned to the Playing XI after missing three consecutive matches due to a shoulder injury, was among the four changes the home team made to its Playing XI. Taking the blame on himself without putting any conditions around it, Dhawan rued playing an additional pacer in place of a spinner.

For the unversed, Kings benched spinner Harpreet Brar for debutant pacer Gurnoor Brar. Brars, who are not related by any means, replacing each other in the XI didn’t work for Punjab tonight. Readers must note that the experiment was conducted at the cost of leaving out a bowler whose four wickets have come at an economy rate of 7.22 this season.

Shikhar Dhawan Lets Out What Backfired for PBKS in 56-run loss to LSG at PCA Stadium

Speaking to host broadcaster Star Sports Network after a 56-run loss, Dhawan pointed out how Super Giants captain KL Rahul (12) didn’t commit the mistake of leaving out one of their premier spinners.

In Harpreet’s absence, Dhawan tried his overseas all-rounders in Sikandar Raza (0/17 & 36) and Liam Livingstone (1/19 & 23) for an over each. However, the move didn’t fruition as the pair registered combined bowling figures of 2-0-36-1. Gurnoor, meanwhile, conceded as many as 40 runs in the second and third overs after giving away only a couple of runs in his first-ever over in the IPL.

“I feel that the strategy to play with one extra fast bowler backfired whereas KL [Rahul] used an extra spinner. I tried to change something and it didn’t work but that’s all right. It’s a good learning for me and we’ll come back better stronger,” Dhawan told Star Sports  on Friday.

Punjab Kings lose fourth IPL 2023 match

Chasing a record 258-run target, PBKS were bundled out for 201 with a ball remaining in the match. Having ended up on the losing side for the fourth time in the ongoing 16th edition of the IPL, the Dhawan-led team is currently at the sixth position on the points table.

Scheduled to lock horns against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday afternoon, they don’t have a lot of time for regrouping and building a strategy for winning at a venue where they haven’t won since 2012.