IPL 2020 | Zero logic behind Kings XI sending Prabhsimran ahead of Maxwell, fumes Simon Doull

IPL 2020 | Zero logic behind Kings XI sending Prabhsimran ahead of Maxwell, fumes Simon Doull

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Maxwell batted below Prabhsimran Singh in Saturday

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@ IPL T20

Renowned expert Simon Doull has expressed his bafflement over the Kings XI Punjab think tank’s decision making and has claimed that there was zero logic behind them sending in young Prabhsimran ahead of Glenn Maxwell. The decision-making blunder hurt KXIP as they lost the game by 2 runs.

From bowling Krishnappa Gowtham in the last over to picking a team with no batting depth, KXIP have made quite a few mind-numbing decisions in IPL 2020 but on Saturday, versus KKR, they unleashed their worst decision yet. With the team having just lost Nicholas Pooran, and with them needing 21 off 17 balls for victory, the think tank sent in young Prabhsimran Singh at No.4, ahead of veterans Glenn Maxwell and Mandeep Singh. 

The move had disaster written all over it and KXIP’s worst fears eventually came true as the youngster getting dismissed for a 7-ball 4 meant that Maxwell had too much to do when he came in, Eventually, KXIP lost the game by two runs, as Maxwell, with seven needed off the last ball, failed to clear the boundary rope by a millimetre. 

Speaking on Cricbuzz LIVE, cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull laid into the Punjab management for their baffling decision-making. Doull said that the decision to bat Prabhsimran ahead of Maxwell made no sense and stated that he was in disbelief over Punjab throwing away a match they should have won with overs to spare.

“There’s a player who you paid millions of dollars for, sitting there, international quality player. Yes, he is not in great form but he is sitting on the bench. Where is the logic? Where is the logic from Kings XI in sending Prabhsimran Singh ahead of Maxwell?,” Doull said on Cricbuzz LIVE.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m in disbelief. They were 130-0 (130-1) chasing 165. You can’t lose games like that.”

Doull’s sentiments were echoed by Joy Bhattacharjya, who questioned the move to send the young wicket-keeper at No.4, particularly with Sunil Narine operating. Bhattacharjya noted how 20-year-old Prabhsimran playing four dot balls off Narine triggered a chain reaction that led to Punjab’s loss.

“Nicholas Pooran has just got out, you’ve got a situation where a wily international customer, Sunil Narine, is bowling, so who do you send in? A kid who has played two matches who doesn’t have the first idea of playing Sunil Narine? The kid then batted out four dot balls off Narine, took the last ball single, thereby denying KL Rahul the strike in the next over, which is where Kings XI should have closed out the match as it's the medium-pacers who Rahul wants to hit.”

The loss means that Punjab, who have 1 win from 7 matches, would need to win all of their remaining matches to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoffs. 

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