Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Nehal Wadhera was surprised to be included in the playing XI against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1. The 22-year-old made a significant impact as an impact substitute, scoring an unbeaten 43 off 25 balls to help PBKS successfully chase 172. Wadhera revealed that he wasn’t informed in advance about his inclusion, which helped him avoid overthinking and perform well. He was bought by Punjab for Rs 4.20 Crore in the mega auction after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI).
“I wasn’t expecting to play today. I only brought one kit with me because I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be in the playing XI. Usually, I bring two one for batting and another for fielding. I even wore long sleeves. Sometimes, things just fall into place If I had known I’d be playing, I might have overthought it, but it turned out to be lucky that I didn’t know, and it worked out well for me,” Wadhera shared in the post-match interview.
He also shared how he was caught off guard by Ricky Ponting’s decision to select him, noting that he only started warming up around the 11th over.
“Ricky told me, ‘If we bowl first, you’ll be in the XI.’ I was caught off guard and thought, ‘How can I be in the XI just because we’re bowling first?’ I assumed he must have made a mistake. But when the XI was announced, I saw my name. That’s when I began warming up around the 11th or 12th over, thinking I’d probably just be fielding.”
Wadhera came in to bat at number four after an 84-run partnership between Prabhsimran Singh (69* off 34) and Shreyas Iyer (52* off 30). He played an attacking knock, hitting three fours and four sixes. Together, they added an unbeaten 67 off 37 balls, helping PBKS chase down 172 in just 16.2 overs. With this win, PBKS moved to second in the points table with two victories from two matches. Their next match is against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 5.