Punjab Kings wicketkeeper batter Jitesh Sharma would lead the side for the final league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on 19th May 2024. Punjab Kings has been knocked out of the tournament as they are currently at number 9th position with 10 points and would look to end the season on a high.
They will be without Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and Jonny Bairstow for this match as they have gone to feature in the 4-match T20I series against Pakistan to be played from 22nd May 2024. Sam Curran had been appointed after Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the tournament. Curran played a key role in the previous match against Rajasthan Royals with 63 unbeaten and 1 wicket that helped Punjab Kings register a 5-wicket win.
Rilee Rossouw and Nathan Ellis will be the two overseas players for tomorrow’s encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kagiso Rabada will also not feature in the remaining two matches due to an injury. It is a massive blow for Punjab Kings as they would look to end the season on a winning note against high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad who became the third team to qualify for the playoff season.
“Jitesh Sharma is not the designated vice-captain of the Punjab Kings. The impression might have been that due to the captain’s seminar meeting at the start of the IPL. But the thought was always that since Sam Curran had led the team in the previous season, he would be the vice-captain.
Performance of Jitesh Sharma in IPL 2024
Before the IPL 2024 started, Jitesh Sharma was a contender to be in India’s T20I squad for World Cup 2024 to be played in the USA and West Indies starting from 2nd June. However, his performance has been ordinary with 155 runs from 13 matches (13 innings) with his highest score of 29 against Rajasthan Royals.
Jitesh Sharma was elated that he was happy for the opportunity and will try to help the side finish the season on a good note. “I am very happy for the opportunity that PBKS has given me to lead in the last game. Hopefully, we will finish on a good note, and I will try to win the record on a good note,” Jitesh said in a video posted by PBKS on their X handle after the announcement.
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