Shikhar Dhawan, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, silenced his critics with a scintillating knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The left-handed opener scored 99 runs off just 66 balls, smashing 12 fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 150, and took a dig at renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle for his previous criticism.
After the match, in which PBKS lost to SRH by 8 wickets, Shikhar Dhawan was named the Man of the Match despite his team’s defeat. During the post-match presentation, he took a cheeky swipe at Bhogle, who had earlier questioned his strike rate during the match between PBKS and Rajasthan Royals.
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“I hope you were happy with my strike rate as you tweeted something,” Dhawan said, referring to Bhogle’s tweet.
The 37-year-old cricketer has been in terrific form in the IPL 2023, having scored 225 runs in three innings at an average of 75 and a strike rate of 149.01. He currently holds the Orange Cap, awarded to the leading run-scorer in the tournament.
Shikhar Dhawan’s knock against SRH was one of his best in the IPL, as he single-handedly fought against the opposition bowlers and scored 69.2% of his team’s total runs. He also added a crucial 55-run partnership for the last wicket with Harpreet Brar to take PBKS to a respectable total of 143 runs.
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Bhogle, however, clarified that his criticism was not directed solely at Dhawan but at the approach of anchor batters in high-scoring encounters. He also mentioned other fine players like KL Rahul, Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, and Jos Buttler, who have faced similar questions over their strike rates.
Despite the criticism, Shikhar Dhawan has proved his doubters wrong with his exceptional form in the IPL 2023. The Delhi-born cricketer is the second-leading run-scorer in the history of the tournament, with 6,469 runs in 209 games at an average of 35.93. He will look to continue his brilliant form when PBKS takes on Gujarat Titans (GT) in Mohali on Thursday, April 13.