"T20 Ka Khalifa": Mohammad Kaif Says This PBKS Star Should Be In Indian Team For T20 World Cup
IPL 2022: Mohammad Kaif backed the veteran batter to be included in India's T20 squad after his brilliant knock against Chennai Super Kings.
Punjab Kings notched their fourth win in eight matches in IPL 2022 to occupy sixth spot in the IPL 2022 points table. Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, and central to PBKS' win was veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan who scored an unbeaten 88 off 59 balls. In the process, Dhawan also went past 6,000 IPL runs, becoming only the second player after Virat Kohli to do is in the tournament. Following Dhawan's heroics with the bat, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif lavished praise on the left-hander, backing his inclusion in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup to be held later this year.
"Dhoni Thala hai, Kohli King hain aur Shikhar? 6000 IPL runs, delivering under pressure, he is T20 ka Khalifa. He should play T20 World Cup. Don't ask me where, if I was selector, I would tell you," tweeted Kaif.
Dhoni Thala hai, Kohli King hain aur Shikhar? 6000 IPL runs, delivering under pressure, he is T20 ka Khalifa. He should play T20 World Cup. Don't ask me where, if I was selector, I would tell you.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 26, 2022
It was Dhawan's 200th IPL match on Monday, becoming only the eighth cricketer to reach the milestone.
In terms of run-tally, Dhawan is now only behind Kohli.
Dhawan, however, did manage to get one over Kohli when he reached the score of nine on Monday. The 36-year-old is now the highest run-getter against CSK in IPL. He surpassed Kohli, who has 949 runs in 28 innings at an average of 39.54 against the four-time IPL champions CSK.
On Monday, Dhawan's knock was in danger of being overshadowed by Ambati Rayudu, who hit a blistering 78 off 39 balls for CSK to take them ever so close to the target.
But in the end, it was not enough as CSK fell 11 runs short to remain in ninth position in the IPL points table with just two wins to their name in eight games.
Punjab Kings
Shikhar Dhawan