After being traded from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the IPL 2023, Devdutt Padikkal proved his batting prowess in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023. On Wednesday, November 29, Padikkal's rapid-fire 93 off just 57 balls propelled Karnataka to victory over Bihar.
This unbeaten 93-run blitz extends Padikkal's streak of four half-centuries in the previous four matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023. In his last five outings, Padikkal has amassed impressive scores of 59 (T20), 71*, 117, 70, and 93*. The star India batter was recently acquired by the LSG from the RR ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League auction scheduled for December 19.
Padikkal, who has previously faced criticism for his low strike rate in IPL, appears to have addressed those concerns and is currently on a roll in the domestic tournament. In pursuit of a 218-run target against Bihar, Padikkal rose to the occasion, leading Karnataka to victory within 33.4 overs. Padikkal's knock included 9 boundaries and 5 sixes, with the match held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Besides Padikkal, another player who grabbed eyeballs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on November 29 was Shahbaz Ahmed, who was recently traded to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Shabaz silenced his critics with a remarkable spell of 3.4-0-7-4 against Madhya Pradesh. His timely interventions in the middle and lower order were instrumental placing his team in the driver seat. The star Bengal player brought his ace game to the fore, as he skillfully claimed wickets in regular interval before efficiently dismissing the lower order, contributing significantly to Bengal's impressive 193-run triumph against Madhya Pradesh.
These performances highlight the resilience and determination of both Padikkal and Shahbaz, who are eager to prove their worth in the upcoming IPL season. Despite facing limited opportunities in their previous IPL stints, they have seized the chance to shine in the domestic circuit, sending a strong message to their respective franchises.
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