'Credit to...': Rohit gives Arshdeep his stamp of approval after MI loss; PBKS pacer drops huge ‘no-balls’ remark
Arshdeep Singh destroyed stumps worth ₹24 lakh not once but twice in an unforgettable final over against Mumbai Indians.
Before ruling the roost in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings (PBKS) star Arshdeep Singh was on the receiving end of many complaints about his knack for bowling no-balls in the international arena. From ex-India cricketers to vice-captain Hardik Pandya, the pacer was infamously called out for his repeated no-ball offences in the World Cup year. So how Arshdeep managed to make amends and reclaim the death-over specialist tag in the IPL 2023?
"Credit to Arshdeep the way he bowled in the last couple of overs," how Rohit signed off after Arshdeep's final-over heroics sealed Punjab Kings' stunning win over five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in match No.31 of the IPL 2023. Mumbai needed 16 from the final 6 balls of their innings when Arshdeep stepped up to showcase his bowling exploits in the last over.
Indian pacer Arshdeep nailed back-to-back yorkers to deny Mumbai a much-needed win in the final-over thriller at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. Speaking at the post-match presentation, pacer Arshdeep revealed how the pacer managed to rectify his basic errors to find his rhythm in white-ball cricket.
"Feels good whenever I take wickets, the win makes the feeling better. Before IPL, I changed my run-up and it helped me with avoiding no-balls. The rhythm is nice and I'm enjoying my cricket right now," Arshdeep said at the post-match presentation. "Calmness comes naturally, my heart rate doesn't even go up to 120," the PBKS pacer added.
Destroying stumps worth ₹24 lakh twice in an unforgettable final over against Mumbai Indians, Arshdeep got the better of Tilak Varma and Impact Player Nehal Wadhera to help Punjab upstage the record-time winners in their backyard. Arshdeep also joined the special list of Indian bowlers with 50-plus wickets for PBKS in the cash-rich league. Arshdeep bagged four wickets and leaked 29 runs in his 4 overs.
With the 13-run win over Rohit's men, Punjab Kings have climbed to the fifth spot on the IPL 2023 points table. Arshdeep has picked up 53 wickets in his much-promising IPL career. The PBKS pacer has also taken the top spot in the Purple Cap standings. The Indian speedster has taken 13 wickets in 7 matches of the new season.
