A fourth consecutive loss in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has certainly put Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a spot of bother. On Sunday, they suffered a 3-wicket defeat at the hands of Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur to keep tottering in the 9th place on the points table. The outcome on Sunday has not only complicated Punjab’s play-off qualification but has also put their stand-in captain Sam Curran under the pump.
The English all-rounder, who was the most expensive player in the IPL history until last season, is yet to fire all cylinders in the ongoing edition. He has scored 152 runs in 8 matches, including a fifty, and has picked 11 wickets in 11 matches. The added responsibility of leading the side in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence seems to be taking a toll on his performance as he faces harsh criticism from the experts.
Former India opener Virender has said he would never even pick a ‘bits-and-pieces player ‘ in his team. The former Punjab captain’s remark came after PBKS suffered their sixth loss of the season in which Curran scored 20 off 19 balls and claimed one wicket after conceding 18 runs from his two overs.
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“If I was in the PBKS dugout, I would not even pick him in my team, neither as a batting all-rounder nor as a bowling all-rounder. I wouldn’t pick him,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
“A player is not of any use if he can bowl a bit and bat a bit. You either bat properly and win us the match, or you bowl and win us the game. I don’t understand this bits and pieces part,” he added.
Curran found Guilty of Breaching IPL Code of Conduct
Adding to Curran’s woes, the PBKS stand-in captain was found guilty of breaching the IPL Code of Conduct, committing a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8. Curran accepted the Match Referee’s sanction and has been fined 50 percent of his match fees.
“Sam Curran, the Punjab Kings captain, has been fined 50 percent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against the Gujarat Titans at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur on April 21,” the IPL release.
“Curran committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. He admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” it added.
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