Glenn Maxwell fails again as full extent of IPL form rut revealed
Glenn Maxwell has failed to fire again as his horror run of form in the IPL continues.
Dropped by coach Ricky Ponting for the Punjab Kings' back-to-back clashes with Royal Challengers Bangaluru, Maxwell was recalled for Sunday morning's (AEST) clash with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
But he failed to make the most of the opportunity, bowled for seven when he played all around a straight one from Varun Chakaravarthy and lost his off-stump.
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Barely a week after Maxwell's former Punjab teammate and India legend Virender Sehwag accused him of treating the big-money IPL as a "holiday", former India batter Suresh Rainer suggested his time in the competition is up.
Glenn Maxwell reacts after he was bowled by Kolkata Knight Riders' Varun Chakravarthy. FOX Sports
"I don't remember the last time Glenn Maxwell made runs for the team," he said.
"He has got too many chances".
From his six innings in this year's tournament, Maxwell has recorded scores of just 0, 30, 1, 3, 7 and 7.
But his IPL rut stretches back further than this year. That 30 against the Royals represents his only double-figures score in his last 14 IPL innings, and he's scored only 100 runs from his last 17 innings stretching back to the start of the 2024 tournament.
Meanwhile, openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya scored half centuries ina 120-run first wicket stand, but it would ultimately be in vain as a thunderstorm forced the game to be abandoned early in KKR's chase.
Maxwell looks back at his wicket. AP
Each team scored a point each. It was enough to lift the Kings above the Mumbai Indians and into fourth place on the ladder.
Punjab made 4-201-4 and Kolkata was 7 without loss when play was stopped and never restarted.
A thunderstorm blew debris all over the stadium and the ground staff had to hold down the covers with the help of rocks. Match officials finally called off play at 11pm local time as it rained steadily.
Prabhsimran made 83 off 49 balls and Priyansh blazed four sixes and eight boundaries in his 35-ball 69.
The pair's 120-run stand came off just 72 balls. Priyansh reached his half-century from 27 balls, showing plenty of aggression against the pacers while carefully negotiating spinners Sunil Narine and Chakravarthy.
Andre Russell broke the threatening stand with a slow off-cutter that deceived Priyansh, who miscued a pull shot to deep mid-wicket in the 12th over.
Prabhsimran, who started slowly, accelerated when Priyansh was dismissed as Punjab motored to 1-160 in the 15th over before Vaibhav Arora struck in his return spell. Prabhsimran hit Arora’s shin-high full toss but Russell grabbed a good running catch at long-on.
Kolkata pulled Punjab back in the death overs and conceded only 40 runs in the last five overs. Both spinners gave away only 13 runs in two overs. Arora finished with 2-34.
- With AP
