IPL 2022: Rishi Dhawan face guard becomes talking point of PBKS vs CSK
IPL fans were in for a curious surprise when Punjab Kings bowler Rishi Dhawan wore some kind of head protection who came in to bowl the 5th over against Chennai Super Kings on Monday.
Dhawan bowled a decent little 5th over, yielding just 7 runs but his face guard was the talk of the town as netizens wondered what it was.
This is not a unique thing as New Zealand player Andrew Ellis sported a customized helmet in 2019 when bowling.
Ellis was seen sporting a helmet seen more common in baseball than cricket on the field in the match between Canterbury and Northern Dricts in a Ford Trophy match back in 2019.
Rishi Dhawan playing his first IPL match in 5 years and the important wicket Shivam Dube #PBKSvCSK #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/AtbCWUNzPv
— CriiicWorld #IPL2022 🏆 (@Criiicworld) April 25, 2022
Meanwhile, in Monday’s IPL match, Shikhar Dhawan struck his second fifty of the season to power Punjab Kings to 187 for 4.
The 36-year-old left-handed batter anchored the Punjab innings with a brilliant 88 not out and combined with Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa (42) for a 110-run stand for the second wicket from 11.3 overs after captain Mayank Agarwal’s early dismissal.
Dhawan hit nine fours and two sixes in his 59-ball superlative unbeaten knock. He went past his earlier highest score this season — 70 against Mumbai Indians in Pune.
Shikhar Dhawan Complete 6000 Runs in IPL. #IPL2022 #PBKSvCSK #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/5U7EeVdZFZ
— Cricket Syco (@cricket_syco) April 25, 2022
Dhawan got an able ally in Rajapaksa who made 42 from 32 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes as the duo frustrated the CSK bowlers for a long stretch in the innings.
Englishman Liam Livingstone, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore in the IPL auction, played a little cameo of 19 runs off seven balls with the help of a four and two sixes towards the end to swell the Punjab total.
