Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their trend of going into a mega auction with a clean slate, retaining just two uncapped players - Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh. The duo were integral to whatever success the franchise had in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 alongside Ashutosh Sharma.
Prabhsimran has been with the franchise since 2019. He has scored 756 runs in 34 IPL games at a strike rate of 146.22, establishing himself as a threat to the opponents. After being retained, the wicketkeeper-batter thanked the owners for showing their faith in him.
"First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has placed their trust in me," Prabhsimran said after the retention announcement. "After being retained, my first thought was to add value to my side, and I will try my best to win as many games as possible for the team."
It also makes an emotional connection, given that the wicketkeeper-batter is from Punjab, and brings in the local crowd to the venues.
"My journey with Punjab Kings has been long and rewarding as I also play for Punjab at the domestic level, and it has been six years in the IPL with Punjab Kings. I have learned a lot, and the team has made me a better player.
"Our fans are also very loyal; they support us through thick and thin, so it will be good to win the trophy for them,” Prabhsimran added.
Punjab Kings came close to winning the IPL in 2014 when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated them in the final. Since then, the franchise haven't reached another final, and Prabhsimran hopes that they can end both the final and the trophy drought in one go.
"As a player, my only goal is to win games for the side. Winning the IPL trophy is a dream, and hopefully, this dream will turn into a reality this year."
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