Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket PlayersVirender Sehwag roasts Punjab Kings out of the blue, blames 'sangati' for dip in strike-rate: 'My game got worse there'
Virender Sehwag was part of the Punjab franchise, then Kings XI Punjab, between 2014 and 2015
Legendary India batter Virender Sehwag took a brutal jibe at Punjab Kings (PBKS) while on commentary during the ongoing 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), saying that his IPL batting figure deteriorated during his two-year stint at the franchise. He also took a dig at their record in IPL history through the last 16 years.
Sehwag was part of the Punjab franchise, then Kings XI Punjab, between 2014 and 2015, after having spent six years at Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) from 2008 to 2013. The former India cricketer also served as mentor for Punjab for three other IPL seasons, between 2016 and 2018.
During his Hindi commentary in the ongoing IPL 2024, Sehwag trolled PBKS for not winning enough matches, which includes their trophyless run in the league, before saying that his strike rate had dropped during his stint at the franchise, blaming it on the team atmosphere.
ALSO READ: Yash Dayal's painful revelation after RCB hit back at Murali Kartik's 'trash' talk: 'Was told not to go on social media'
"Jab mein Punjab mein gaya tab mera strike rate kam ho gaya. Woh kehte hai na ke jaisi sangati waisa behave karte ho. Toh waha ki sangati waisi hi thi. Jeet te the nahi, khel te acha the nahi, toh mera game aur thoda kharab ho gaya (When I was in Punjab, my strike rate had dropped. It was due to bad team influence. They don't win matches, they don't play well and hence by game deteriorated)," Sehwag said on Jio Cinema.
During his six IPL seasons with Delhi, Sehwag scored 2174 runs at a strike rate of 160, with 14 fifties and a century. In 2014, when he moved to Punjab, he had a rather successful season, scoring 455 runs at a strike rate of 144.44 with the Kings XI even reaching the final. However, in the following season, the former India opener managed only 99 runs in eight matches, before retiring from the league. His overall strike rate at Punjab was 136.
Punjab Kings, under Shikhar Dhawan and new vice-captain Jitesh Sharma, have so far won one match and lost the other in their start to the IPL 2024 season. At their new home ground in Chandigarh, they beat Delhi Capitals, ruining Rishabh Pant's return to action after 454 days, before losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
