IPL 2023: PBKS's Bhanuka Rajapaksa blasts fiery half-century vs KKR
What's the story
Bhanuka Rajapaksa smothered his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) half-century in Punjab Kings's (PBKS) 2023 season opener versus Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Sri Lankan southpaw batted with remarkable intent as he ended up scoring a 32-ball 50. His knock was laced with five boundaries and two sixes. His brilliance meant PBKS touched the 100-run mark in the 10th over. Here are his stats.
Knock
A fiery knock from Rajapaksa
KKR skipper Nitish Rana won the toss and elected to bowl at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. Rajapaksa arrived at number three after opener Prabhsimran Singh departed for a breezy 23. He joined forces with skipper Shikhar Dhawan and the duo added 86 runs for the second wicket. Rajapaksa eventually fell prey to veteran pacer Umesh Yadav.
Information
A look at his numbers
Notably, Rajapaksa could only manage 206 runs in nine games last season, though his strike rate read 159.69. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old has now raced to 3,919 runs in 154 T20 appearances, striking at 135-plus. The tally includes 12 fifties and a solitary ton.
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Rajapaksa might not have featured in the KKR clash had England's power-hitter Liam Livingstone been available. The latter, who enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2022 with PBKS, didn't get a fitness clearance from the ECB. His loss was Rajapaksa's gain as the Lankan batter made great utilization of the opportunity. Meanwhile, Livingstone is expected to be available from the franchise's second match onward.