'They have Shami, Siraj. Bumrah will return, but this bowler...': Pakistan great's audacious prediction for IPL star
The pacer has taken five wickets in two matches in the 2023 Indian Premier League so far.
The Punjab Kings registered their second win on the trot in 2023 Indian Premier League when they defeated the Rajasthan Royals by five runs in Guwahati on Wednesday. After the PBKS posted a strong score of 197/4 in 20 overs, the Royals were once staring at a certain defeat when they were 124/6 in the 15th over of the run-chase; however, Shimron Hetmyer (36) and Dhruv Jurel (32*) gave the Kings a scare before Sam Curran eventually bowled an impressive final over to take the Punjab side through the finishing line.
While Prabhsimran Singh (60) and Shikhar Dhawan (86*) starred with the bat for the Kings, Nathan Ellis took four wickets in a brilliant bowling performance. The side's star pacer Arshdeep Singh also took important two wickets of openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravichandran Ashwin, even as he proved expensive (2/47 in four overs).
Regardless, Arshdeep has been a standout performer for the Kings with the ball; in their opening match of IPL 2023, Arshdeep registered figures of 3/19 in three overs. Last year, Arshdeep's consistent performances earned him a place in the Indian T20I side and he was also the side's leading pacer in the 2022 T20 World Cup. While Arshdeep continues to feature in the Indian side in the shortest format, he is yet to make a mark in ODIs; in three matches in the fifty-over format, he remains wicketless. In addition, Arshdeep is yet to earn a Test cap but former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif believes that the young left-arm pacer has all the skills to become an “all-format player.”
“Arshdeep is an all-format player. His jump and his release, his control, his bouncers, he can play in all formats,” Latif said on his official YouTube channel.
“He takes wickets in every match. Last year, he took a five-wicket haul against this side. He has great control. With more experience, he can be in the Indian lineup easily. No doubt they have Shami, Siraj, Jasprit will also come, Shardul and Pandya are also there, but this bowler can take wickets with both, new and old ball. We can see him in different formats in the future, he's a brilliant bowler,” Latif further said.
Arshdeep and the PBKS will return to action on April 9 when they take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.
