Bhanuka Rajapaksa, the powerful and aggressive Sri Lankan batter, who garnered praise during the previous season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Asia Cup, has made a fantastic start in the ongoing season of the IPL.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) had struck gold by signing him last season, as his fearless batting against both pace and spin helped them counter the opposition.
Rajapaksa continued his excellent form by registering a stunning half-century in the second match of IPL 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Mohali’s PCA Stadium on Saturday, April 1. He came out to bat at number three after PBKS opener Prabhsimran Singh departed for a quick 23. Rajapaksa joined forces with skipper Shikhar Dhawan and added 86 runs for the second wicket.
The Sri Lankan cricketer displayed his batting prowess, reaching his half-century off 29 deliveries. He batted aggressively and showed his power against some high-quality bowlers like Sunil Narine. Rajapaksa cut loose against Narine in the six and final over of the powerplay, smashing the West Indies spinner for two fours and a gigantic six.
Here’s the video:
4️⃣4️⃣6️⃣ 💥
When @BhanukaRajapak3 took on Narine and got the most out of the powerplay 🔥🔥
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/UeBnlhdZdr#TATAIPL | #PBKSvKKR pic.twitter.com/gtwEVQYNzf
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2023
Rajapaksa’s knock was laced with five fours and two sixes. He completely dominated the opposition bowlers and ended up scoring a 32-ball 50. However, the left-handed batter eventually got out on the last ball of the 11th over, bowled by veteran India pacer Umesh Yadav.
Nonetheless, Rajapaksa’s brilliance helped PBKS post 191/5 on the scoreboard in their stipulated 20 overs.