"Pls retire from cricket, focus on Insta reels" - Fans troll Shikhar Dhawan for 17 off 12 balls vs RR in IPL 2023
Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shikhar Dhawan failed to deliver for his team in their last group-stage game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Friday, May 19.
The left-hander scored 17 runs off 12 balls at a strike rate of 141.67, hitting two fours and a six. Dhawan was leg before wicket off Adam Zampa’s bowling in the sixth over, leaving PBKS tottering at 46/3 after 5.3 overs.
The 37-year-old missed his sweep shot and was absolutely plumb in front of the sticks to the extent that he decided against reviewing it.
Watch Shikhar Dhawan's dismissal below:
For the uninitiated, Dhawan had previously departed for a golden duck while chasing 214 against Delhi Capitals (DC) in their previous match, where they lost by 15 runs at the same venue.
Shikhar Dhawan continues to disappoint his side in the second-half of IPL 2023 🏏
📸: IPL/JioCinema
#IPL2023 #PBKSvsRR #crickettwitter https://t.co/afvIndAGEM
Fans on Twitter expressed their anger at Dhawan’s below-par score in their last group-stage game for Punjab. One user tweeted:
"Pls retire from cricket rather than being an embarrassment like this Mr. Shikhar Dhawan. Focus on insta reels."
@mufaddal_vohra Pls retire from cricket rather than being an embarrassment like this Mr. Shikhar Dhawan. Focus on insta reels.
Here are some of the other strong Twitter reactions:
Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Zampa. Dhawan ends this season with 373 runs in 11 games. Are we going to see him in the World Cup squad? 🧐#IPL2023 #pbksvsrr https://t.co/SwwGNwmNOv
Just give up cricket now shikhar dhawan.. and focus on tiktok and insta reels..
#IPL2023 #IPL23
#ShikharDhawan is not a captain material. #samcurran is far better choice than him.#TATAIPL2023 #PBKSvRR
Nothing in life is constant. Except Shikhar Dhawan getting out to a spinner trying to sweep/reverse sweep
#PBKSvsRR
That Shikhar Dhawan wicket was too easy for Zampa ... he should have choose the straight six on that ball #IPL2023 #punjab #rajhasthanroyals
#PBKS losing today might be good in long term, any good performance today might extend Dhawan’s reign.
💔
Should be first & last season for Dhawan as captain.
@Cricket_AI Dhawan should be retained but sacked, he got full season just like he wanted and has been very poor throughout. SRK must also be retained, has improved in not slicing it as much, won match against LSG too. Sam definitely must be released though
@karthik_jammy_ Dhawan sir mentor era
Dhawan, though, amassed 373 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 142.91, including three half-centuries in IPL 2023. His best score of 99* off 66 deliveries came against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a losing cause.
PBKS were 117/5 after 15 overs with Shahrukh Khan and Sam Curran at the crease. Navdeep Saini scalped three wickets, while Adam Zampa and Trent Boult took one apiece so far in the contest.
Rajasthan Royals opt to bowl against Shikhar Dhawan’s PBKS
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson opted to bowl against Punjab Kings on Friday. They made a couple of changes to the team by including Navdeep Saini and Adam Zampa in the starting XI. The duo replaced KM Asif and Ravichandran Ashwin, the latter of whom was ruled out due to a back spasm.
PBKS, on the other hand, decided to go with an unchanged squad.
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (w/c), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Adam Zampa, Trent Boult, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Atharva Taide, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (w), Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh.
Follow PBKS vs RR live score updates here.