Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Parthiv Patel, has praised the Punjab Kings all-rounder, Sikandar Raza, for his outstanding performance in their recent Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Lucknow Super Giants. Patel applauded Raza for his match-winning knock in the IPL 2023, which helped his team secure a thrilling two-wicket victory against the KL Rahul-led team at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, April 15.
Raza, who played a crucial role in the middle order, smashed his maiden half-century in the IPL and scored 57 runs off 41 balls, dominating the run chase and taking chances whenever they arose. Despite losing the services of their captain Shikhar Dhawan, Raza played a mature innings and almost played until the end to finish the match.
Also Read: IPL 2023: Virat Kohli picks the most under-rated batter, greatest all-rounder and favorite rival franchise in IPL
Patel commended Raza’s batting technique, stating that experienced batters like him are essential in run-chases. Patel was quoted on Jio TV as saying, “When he felt that he could go for the big shots in Krunal Pandya’s over, he went for it. He took the singles and whenever he got the chances, he went for the big shots.”
Raza was bought by the Punjab Kings for his base price of Rs 50 lakh in the IPL 2023 auction, becoming the fourth Zimbabwean player to play in the world’s richest league after Ray Price, Tatenda Taibu, and Brendon Taylor. According to Patel, Raza’s consistent performances in international cricket over the last few years have helped him play a match-winning knock in the IPL.
Also Read: IPL 2023: Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingston are likely to be back in action from the match against RCB
Following their recent victory, the Punjab Kings moved to fourth in the table with six points and a net run rate of -0.067. They will now host Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their next match at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, April 20.
Raza’s excellent performance in the IPL match against the Lucknow Super Giants has garnered praise from Patel and cricket enthusiasts. With his consistent performances, Raza is becoming a crucial player for the Punjab Kings and a force to be reckoned with in the IPL. Fans are eagerly anticipating his upcoming match against the RCB, where he will look to continue his good form and lead his team to another victory.