IPL 2024: "Punjab Kings Will Have To Choose Between Liam Livingstone And Sikandar Raza"- Irfan Pathan
Published - 06 Dec 2023, 07:09 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:23 AM
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has spoken about Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. The auction will be held in Dubai on December 19. They have retained 19 players and have 8 slots to fill two of which are overseas slots.
Punjab Kings have a remaining purse of 29.1 crores in which to buy the number of players that they have. As a franchise have taken some controversial decisions in retention over the years. PBKS have retained six overseas players ahead of the IPL 2024 auction and still have two slots to fill.
Jonny Bairstow, Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Nathan Ellis are the six overseas players that they have retained. Irfan Pathan believes that the Kings might play just one of the two given how the formation of the team will be in the upcoming season.
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“They have Sikandar Raza in the backups. I want to see him playing regularly. They will have to make this tough decision. It will be between either Liam Livingstone or Sikandar Raza because both have pretty similar skills” Pathan said on Star Sports.
Pathan came up with an alternate suggestion saying Sam Curran can be played alternatively allowing both the spin-all-rounders to play together in the lineup.
“Depending on the conditions and pitches, you might see Sam Curran going out and both of these guys, Sikandar Raza and Livingstone, playing. Then you might see one more Indian fast bowler playing there” the former Indian all-rouder highlighted.
Punjab Kings Need To Find A Qualify Spinner: Irfan Pathan
Punjab Kings have reached the final of the IPL only once in the last 16 editions of the IPL. They have time and again bought unorthodox players for whopping prices. Pathan concluded by saying that the Kings need to buy reputed spinners in their ranks. They do not have a recognized Indian spinner among the players they have retained.
“I will definitely add one spinner if I can find a good quality spinner. Ideally, a left-arm spinner because if you look at those spinners, Rahul Chahar can be hot and cold and Harpreet Brar is slightly inexperienced” Pathan concluded.
