Shashank Singh arrives on the massive stage as Punjab Kings beat Gujarat Titans

Shashank Singh’s journey within the Indian Premier League with Punjab Kings didn’t get off to the perfect of begins. Throughout the public sale in December 2023, there was confusion in the direction of the top of the accelerated public sale with the Kings seemingly making an attempt to again out of shopping for Singh.

The group clarified afterward that the confusion stemmed from two Shashank Singhs within the participant pool and that they purchased the participant they’d at all times wished to purchase.

Singh, to his credit score, posted on X, previously often known as Twitter, that it was “all cool” and thanked the group for trusting him.

On Thursday, Singh repaid the Kings’s belief in him by smashing an unbeaten 29-ball 61 to information the Kings to a three-wicket win over the Gujarat Giants in Ahmedabad.

Chasing 200 runs, Singh together with fellow uncapped participant Ashutosh Sharma (31 runs off 17 balls) stitched collectively a 43-run stand off 22 balls for the seventh wicket to finish a shocking win for the Kings.

The Gujarat Titans posted 199/4 from their 20 overs with captain Shubman Gill main from the entrance with an unbeaten 48-ball 89. Rahul Tewatia performed a helpful cameo scoring 23 runs off eight deliveries to spur the house facet late on.

Turning level of the match

After being smacked for 2 sixes to start out the fifteenth over, Rashid Khan hit again to eliminate the harmful Jitesh Sharma. The large-hitting wicketkeeper-batter departed with the Kings requiring 50 runs off the final 4 overs.

The Kings changed pacer Arshdeep Singh with the unheralded Ashutosh Sharma. The 25-year-old batter appeared tentative early on.

With Ashutosh on three, the wily Mohit Sharma bowled a slower brief ball which Ashutosh might solely pull in the direction of deep backward sq. leg. Umesh Yadav had the best catches to finish however ended up getting off stability and dropping the ball.

Ashutosh made full use of his reprieve by hitting 28 runs from his subsequent 12 balls and taking the Kings to the cusp of victory.

The Subject’s participant of the match

Over time, the IPL has made in a single day stars of many an unheralded participant. On Thursday evening, it was Shashank Singh’s flip to make a reputation for himself.

The 32-year-old batter is along with his fourth IPL group and has solely performed 14 matches to date. He lastly made the world sit up and at last take discover with a well-crafted unbeaten 61 to take the Kings to an unlikely win.

Singh got here to the center within the ninth over after the Kings had misplaced their prime order for 71 runs and needing 129 runs from 11 overs. He survived a detailed leg earlier than wicket name off Noor Ahmad’s bowling earlier than promptly hitting the Afghan spinner for an enormous six off the subsequent ball.

The Chhattisgarh batter introduced up his first IPL half-century in 25 balls and capped it off by main his facet to an unlikely win.

‘React to the ball’

5 years after being first purchased by an IPL group, Shashank Singh lastly arrived on the massive stage. Popping out to bat in a high-pressure state of affairs, the 32-year-old batter didn’t let nerves get to him and performed a mature knock.

Up towards a bowling assault which had reached back-to-back finals, Singh trusted his instincts and expertise to get the job achieved for his facet.

Nonetheless making an attempt to sink in. I visualised all these items earlier than the match however turning it into actuality, (I’m) feeling pleased with myself. I play cricketing photographs extra. It was nearly reacting to the ball. That’s what additionally coach advised me. Usually I bat at seven however right now I batted at 5. Our coach advised me to simply react to the ball. They (Titans bowlers) are the legends of cricket, however after I go to bat I really feel that I’m the perfect. So I don’t see the bowler, I simply see the ball.

— PBKS’s Shashank Singh