IPL 2023: Shikhar Dhawan Played One Of The Best T20 Innings I Have Ever Seen, Says Brian Lara

Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan missed out on his third IPL century by one run against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

Photo: ANI

Shikhar Dhawan is one of the highest run-getters in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with 6,469 runs to his name from 209 matches with two hundreds and 49 fifties. Punjab Kings skipper Dhawan got to within touching distance of a third IPL century but remained 99 not out against Sunrisers Hyderabad in match No. 14 of IPL 2023 in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Dhawan’s knock gave some respectability to the Punjab Kings total, who had slipped to 88 for 9 at one stage. PBKS skipper’s knock took them to 143 for 9 but it was not enough to prevent an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Former West Indies captain and current SRH head coach Brian Lara doffed his hat to fellow southpaw Dhawan for his brilliant knock. His performance impressed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s head coach and speaking to JioCinema, Lara said, “I must commend Shikhar Dhawan. I think it is one of the best innings I’ve ever seen in T20 Cricket, the way he shepherd the strike and totally just controlled the game.”

Some 99* are bigger than a tonne_ Not R night tonight but what a fight back from R Captain.Great job from R bowlers by bowling no extra's_ Well played Srh! Saw sum stunning performances today @SDhawan25 @PunjabKingsIPL #Shikhardhawan #Rashidkhan #RinkuSingh #SRHvPBKS #TATAIPL

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 9, 2023

JioCinema IPL expert Chris Gayle too spoke about Dhawan’s performance and said, “Shikhar was fantastic for his team, and when you keep losing wickets around you, it’s never going to be easy, and to hold the steady nerves and to actually get to that particular total and get to 99 as welI, and I thought he deserved a hundred and that’s one of the best innings you will ever see in the IPL as well.”

Chasing a modest 144 for victory that the visitors notched up thanks largely to PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 99 (66b; 12x4, 5x6), the Sunrisers romped home with 17 balls to spare. Rahul Tripathi 74 runs (48b, 10x4, 3x6) and skipper Aiden Markram 37 runs (21b, 6x4) put together an unbeaten 100-run partnership. Earlier, leg-spinner Mayank Markande starred with the ball for the Sunrisers, bowling beautifully to claim 4/15 in four overs.

JioCinema IPL expert Aakash Chopra heaped praises on the way Rahul Tripathi handled pressure early on and took his side home and said, “He had played a very ungainly innings to score 34 runs in the previous match in the Lucknow stadium. Anyway, sometimes you need to play these ugly innings’ to come into form. The hard work in Lucknow paid off today. He batted really well, despite the fact that there was slight pressure when two wickets fell and it seemed the total might get difficult to achieve, but Rahul Tripathi’s stature is growing with time. Last season also he had scored runs but this year, he has come as an Indian capped player now. He has secured a promotion and this responsibility as a capped Indian player suits him.”