Prabhsimran Singh (Twitter)
Former India cricketer Pathan heaped praise on young Punjab Kings batsman Prabhsimran, who scored his maiden IPL century in the last match against Delhi Capitals.
As the race for the playoffs heats up in Tata IPL 2023, teams are making every effort to make it to the top four. It has been a tightly contested Tata IPL season. We are in the last week of the league stage and 7 teams are still in the race to book playoff berths. No previous edition of the TATA IPL has seen such fierce competition with so many teams in contention even at the business end of the tournament.
With two crucial points on the line, Punjab Kings are set to host Delhi Capitals as Tata IPL 2023 sees their first match at the beautiful HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. This is the second home of the Punjab Kings.
Read this also ‘The future of Indian top-order batting’: Kevin Pietersen praises youngsters Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan had a lot to say about young Punjab Kings batsman Prabhsimran Singh – who scored his maiden Tata IPL century in the previous match against the same opposition. Irfan believes that the young top-order batsman from Punjab is a future star.
Speaking on Star Sports Cricket Live, Irfan Pathan said, “Prabh Simran did the job of a senior batsman against Delhi Capitals but the thing to remember is that he is young and bats with great cleverness and power. He has all kinds of shots. I think he is a future star.”
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif also heaped praise on the 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman and claimed that the Tata IPL platform will never shy away from introducing young and dynamic talents to the world.
Talking to Star Sports Studio, Mohammad Kaif said, ‘This is the tradition of IPL. Bring new talent and give it a chance. He will definitely shine. Prabhasimran is that kind of talent. He has got all kinds of shots and not only has the ability to finish off innings but can also take the team to a strong total.”
Delhi Capitals’ playoff hopes may have been dashed but teams cannot afford to take the David Warner-led side lightly. The presence of some strong characters in the coaching staff helps the teams to overcome difficult situations.
Pathan believes that with Delhi Capitals shifting their focus to next season, former India cricketer Sourav Ganguly should now be handed the role of the team’s head coach.
Pathan told Star Sports Studio, ‘It is a big deal to have Sourav Ganguly in Delhi’s dugout. I think if Dada is given the responsibility of coach as well, he can make a big difference in this team. Dada has knowledge of psychology of Indian players. He knows how to run the dressing room and Delhi should definitely take advantage of that. At the time of the toss, Warner has said that his team has now started preparing for the next season and in this sense it would not be wrong to see Ganguly in a changed role.
Meanwhile, a spirited Lucknow Super Giants team continued their unbeaten run against five-time champions Mumbai Indians, beating Mumbai Indians by 5 runs in Lucknow last night. With this win, LSG kept their playoff hopes alive and dealt a blow to MI’s dreams of finishing in the top four. LSG left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan bowled exceptionally well in the final over to defend ten runs against Tim David and Cameron Green.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauded Mohsin – who was away from cricket for almost a year due to injury – made maximum impact in his second game of Tata IPL 2023. Kaif praised the Uttar Pradesh pacer for sticking to his basics and delivering deliveries under pressure.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Mohammad Kaif said, “Mohsin Khan didn’t crack under pressure despite Tim David’s dangerous touch. UP cricketers are shining in IPL 2023, Rinku (Singh) doing it for KKR and Mohsin doing the same for LSG in a crucial game. Very important win for LSG.”
Read this also ‘Mohsin Khan did something offbeat with his bowling’: RP Singh on Mohsin Khan
Marcus Stoinis laid the foundation for LSG’s win over Mumbai Indians as the Australian all-rounder smashed a valuable 89* off 47 balls to give his team the much-needed boost against a strong MI side.
Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh lauded Stoinis’ matured knock and his power-hitting skills.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Harbhajan Singh said, “Marcus Stoinis’ knock in the death overs made the difference for LSG. A set batsman was needed to finish off this pitch and he did just that. Stoinis is a power-hitter and he delivered.”