When RCB lost their third straight home game to PBKS on April 18 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag blasted the team’s hitters for making poor shots and wasting their wickets.
Due to rain delays, the match was shortened to 14 overs each side, and the Bengaluru-based team was only able to reach 95/9. Since chasing is comparatively simpler in Bengaluru, the visitors decided to field after winning the toss.
Virat Kohli returned to the pavilion at a minimal cost as RCB lost starter Phil Salt on the fourth delivery of the opening over. Tim David’s (50 off 26) bat contributed more than half of the team’s total while the wickets kept falling. Using “common sense” was the reason Sehwag slapped the hitters.
“RCB did not bat well. To escape, they all made careless shots. No hitter was struck by a nice ball. Common sense should have been employed by at least one batter.
They could have reached 110 or 120 in 14 overs if they had wickets in hand, which would have allowed them to fight,” Virender Sehwag stated on Cricbuzz.
Due to unfavourable outfield and pitch conditions after the rain, Punjab Kings were also stranded at one point during their innings, even though they had a modest score to chase. Nehal Wadhera (33* off 19), however, persevered through the end and led the side home. Punjab Kings were put to the test by Josh Hazlewood (3/14) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/26) but the little goal was unable to hold the opposition for very long.
Sehwag added that Rajat Patidar, the captain of the RCB, will need to find a way to address the team’s domestic problems. Interestingly, RCB has a historically bad home record; this defeat to Punjab Kings marks their 46th at the location.
“Patidar must reflect and find a solution. At home, they haven’t been winning. Why do their hitters consistently falter when their bowlers are performing well? If your hitters keep failing at home, it’s not good. Who will make that right? He went on.