My First IPL Wicket Is Virat Paaji And That Helps: Harpreet Brar After His All-Round Display Helps PBKS Beat RCB

Punjab Kings left-arm orthodox, Harpreet Brar,  thanked his family for their unrelenting support over the years that paved the way for what is easily the best day of his cricketing career on Friday as he picked up his maiden IPL ‘Player of the Match’ award for playing a stellar role with both bat and ball against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Harpreet Brar smashed two sixes and a four during his unbeaten 17-ball 25 and alongside skipper KL Rahul helped Punjab Kings get to an eventual match-winning total of 179.

But his biggest contribution [3/19 in 4 overs] came with the ball as he dismissed RCB skipper Virat Kohli, swashbuckling Glenn Maxwell, and the in-form AB de Villiers to hammer RCB in the dust.

Brar’s maiden wicket came in the form of the legendary Virat Kohli, who saw his leg-stump shattered after he failed to judge the length of the ball after having shimmied down the track.

Harpreet Brar had been hit for a six and a four by Virat in his first two overs but the youngster eventually had the last laugh.

Getting Virat Kohli as your maiden wicket, as Brar mentioned, can give you a hell of a lot of confidence.

And, that is exactly what happened with Harpreet Brar as he bamboozled Maxwell with a Jaffa; one that pitched on middle and hit the top of off-stump.

He then proceeded to dismiss AB de Villiers in his next over, ending RCB’s hopes.

Here’s what Harpreet Brar said at the post-match presentation:

”They’ll be happy at home I’m sure, it’s their best wishes that have got me here. I didn’t feel anything about being hit for six because a bowler always has a chance to come back. So I knew I could come back. My first IPL wicket is Virat paaji and that helps. Your body opens up, you get confident, and things fall into place. When I went into bat there was time to wait and see for an over or two. Rahul bhai was there at the other end to talk to me about the conditions and such,”

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