Mullanpur, April 20 The PCA Stadium in Mullanpur will witness a mega clash when the Punjab Kings face off against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday. As the Kings look for their third win of the IPL 2024 season, their assistant coach Brad Haddin was quick to appreciate the efforts of their bowlers, especially the pace unit.
“Gujarat Titans are a strong team. They have played in the final in the last two seasons. (At home) It’s about ensuring we find a way to perform as individuals. Our bowlers have been outstanding. Our fast bowlers have the most wickets in IPL 2024. If we could find the runs, our spinners and pacers can find some much-needed support," the Australian said at the pre-match press conference.
Speaking about the upcoming game, Haddin stated that the Punjab Kings need to convert their close results into wins to boost their confidence. “We have got to find a way to get a result in this game. The last three games were very close, we had moments when we were out and then got ourselves back in it, and the result could have gone both ways,” he added.
Despite the losses, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh’s performances have been a bright spark in the Punjab Kings’ batting order. Heaping praise on the young batting duo, Haddin said, “The way they have been performing, we want to give them more time on the pitch. At the same time, we don't want to burden them. They are still new in this craft. They played some extraordinary knocks under pressure.”
Coach Haddin also shared an update on the injury to skipper Shikhar Dhawan. "It's difficult to replace someone like Shikhar. He's one of the most successful openers in the IPL. He has done it for many years and was starting to get his rhythm back before the unfortunate injury to his shoulder.
“We would like him back as soon as we can. He is an experienced head at the top of the order, so we're hoping that he is available for selection soon. He has started to progress well. We have seen some good signs over the last couple of days. We will decide on Sunday morning" concluded the former wicketkeeper-batter.
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