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Punjab Kings spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi credited the "positive environment" provided by the coaching staff as one of the reasons behind Prabhsimran Singh's eye-catching displays in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Prabhsimran, known for his belligerent style of play, proved himself to be a strong candidate for India's white-ball setup in future with his swashbuckling display against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. The young uncapped star in India's domestic circuit curbed his instincts well enough to allow his partner Priyansh Arya to set the game's tempo at Eden Gardens. He absorbed the early pressure and then expressed himself. The uncapped duo stitched up a 120-run opening partnership to clear Punjab's way to a daunting 201/4, especially after the wicket turned its nature and shifted to a slower side. Priyansh, with a mood of bellicosity, hammered 69 from 36 deliveries with a whopping eight fours and four towering maximums. Meanwhile, Prabhsimran made KKR bowlers tilt at windmills, with his 83(49) with six boundaries and as many maximums. "They are exciting players. There is a long way ahead of them. Both batters should receive the credit. They took a calculated risk and displayed a positive approach as well," Joshi told reporters in the post-match press conference. Prabhsimran has enjoyed more consistency than in the past two seasons. In nine fixtures, he has averaged 32.44 and maintained a strike rate of 168.79, representing a significant improvement in both aspects of his game, primarily due to the positive environment within the camp. "I think it is about confidence. How much volume you add in batting in pre-season matters a lot. The positive environment and batting coaching staff have done well. He (Prabhsimran) has been consistent in the white-ball format. This year, he has been more mature," he said. Despite putting up a fighting total, relentless rain in Kolkata denied Punjab the opportunity to defend it. Joshi felt they had to accept the outcome while stressing that they missed a point. "I think we can't go against nature. I think we have to accept it. There was an opportunity for two points, and yes, we have to accept we got one and we missed one more," he added. (ANI)
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