Ahead of their opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Trevor Bayliss expressed his confidence in middle-order batter Shahrukh Khan. Bayliss believes that Khan, who was bought for INR 9 crore in the 2022 IPL auction, can make an impact with the bat this season.
“Shahrukh looks in good form, he is hitting the ball well and hard,” Bayliss told reporters. The right-handed batter had a poor run in the last season, scoring just 117 runs in eight games with an average of 16.71 and a strike rate of 108.33. However, he has been batting well in the practice sessions ahead of their opening game.
Bayliss also expressed hope of having English all-rounder Liam Livingstone join the team soon. “Livingstone is one of those players who are not with us here just at the moment but we are hoping to have him with us very shortly,” he said. Livingstone, who was an important part of the PBKS team last season, is currently awaiting clearance from the ECB after recovering from a knee injury.
Bayliss further stated that fellow Englishman Sam Curran could be the X-factor for PBKS this season. The all-rounder, who was bought for INR 18.50 crore in the 2022 IPL auction, has the ability to bowl in the death overs and bat as a finisher. “We are hoping that Sam Curran will be that player for us. He has done pretty well in international cricket and in the last (T20) World Cup,” said Bayliss.
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PBKS, led by Shikhar Dhawan, will play their first match of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 1 at the Punjab Cricket Association’s IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. It will be the first-afternoon match of the ongoing season of the IPL. With the likes of Khan and Curran in form, PBKS will be looking to start their campaign on a high note.