Punjab Kings have such a star batter in their opener Prabhsimran Singh that even coach Ricky Ponting has apparently been getting carried away about him
A storm won the day in Kolkata on Saturday, but only after another thunderous demonstration of brilliance from an Indian batter who’s even got his Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting all a flutter with excitement.
At least that’s how Ponting’s old Australia teammate Matthew Hayden gilded the lily from the TV commentary box while Prabhsimran Singh was treating everyone to an extraordinary display of big-hitting pyrotechnics at Eden Gardens.
After they decided to bat, Singh smashed 83 off just 49 balls, featuring six sixes and six fours, joining his fellow Indian opener Priyansh Arya (69 off 35) in a 120 opening stand that took them less than 12 overs to blast out.
It was another brilliant performance from the outstanding Singh, who was happy to play largely a support role to his fizzing younger partner until Arya’s dismissal prompted him to go ballistic off his last 17 balls which he clouted for 49 all around the ground with a panoply of exotic shots.
They included treating the usually tricky slow bowling of Sunil Narine with unusual contempt, consigning the Trinidadian to one 22-run over. That was just one less than the enduring mystery spinner has ever conceded in a single over in T20s.
Watching from the box, the admiring Hayden confided: “A very excited Ricky Ponting came up to me at the Kings’ first match in Ahmedabad and said ‘Haydos, I’ve found myself a beauty’.
“Now Ricky Ponting rarely gets excited about too much, but he went, ‘this kid, he is just magic – he’s got dust and it’s covered in gold … just such talent and class’.”
Indeed, it was all on display as Singh helped Punjab make 4-201.
Unfortunately for Glenn Maxwell, he again missed out on another run-fest when coming in at No.4 with five overs to indulge in a bit of mayhem.
Having struggled to seven off eight balls, Maxwell was bowled, beaten by a quicker, shorter one from Varun Chakravarthy and he looked the picture of frustration, having only compiled 48 runs in six innings this tournament, including five single-figure dismissals.
Josh Inglis, a latecomer to the IPL party, fared a little better, helping the Kings get past the 200 mark with his unbeaten 11 off six balls at the death.
Unfortunately, the match was then ruined when the rains came with the Knight Riders on 0-7, the storm blowing debris all over the stadium, with the ground staff having to hold down the covers with rocks until the inevitable abandonment as a ‘no result’.
It left both teams with a point apiece, with Punjab up to fourth in the play-off places while defending champions Kolkata remained seventh.
Australians at IPL 2025
Chennai Super Kings: Nathan Ellis ($365k)
Delhi Capitals: Mitch Starc ($2.15m), Jake Fraser-McGurk ($1.65m)
Kolkata Knight Riders: Spencer Johnson ($510k)
Lucknow Super Giants: Justin Langer (coach), Mitch Marsh ($623k)
Punjab Kings: Ricky Ponting (coach), Marcus Stoinis ($2m), Glenn Maxwell ($770k), Josh Inglis ($475k), Aaron Hardie ($228k), Xavier Bartlett ($146k)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.29m), Tim David ($547k)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.7m), Travis Head ($1.2m), Adam Zampa ($440k)
2025 IPL standings
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points