IPL 2023: Mohammad Kaif Slams Punjab Kings for Retiring Out Atharva Taide vs Delhi Capitals

Mohammad Kaif has lashed at the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for retiring out a well-set Atharva Taide in their IPL 2023 loss to the Delhi Capitals (DC). The Capitals posted a mammoth 214-run target for PBKS after being asked to bat first in Dharamsala on Wednesday, May 17 as well. Taide then scored a 42-ball 55 as PBKS went on to lose the game by 15 runs to virtually bow out of the playoff race as well.

During a post-match discussion on Star Sports, Mohammad Kaif was asked about his thoughts on Punjab Kings’ decision to retire Taide out. The former Indian batter also added that Atharva Taide was complementing Liam Livingstone perfectly. He also criticized the decision while citing the examples of Rinku Singh and Rahul Tewatia, saying:

“Extremely poor decision to ask him to come out. Why do you talk about Rinku Singh and Tewatia? Rinku Singh was a run-a-ball at the start and Tewatia was on 13 off 21 balls. They hit five sixes after that. He (Taide) was scoring at a strike rate of 130 and was a set batter alongside Liam Livingstone. Livingstone was playing fast and he (Taide) was performing his role. He is an uncapped player who was hitting fours and sixes.”

IPL 2023: Atharva Taide added a 78-run third-wicket partnership with Liam Livingstone

However, Atharva Taide hit five fours and two sixes during his 55-run knock. He added together a 78-run third-wicket partnership with Livingstone (94 off 48) after PBKS lost their openers. Mohammad Kaif also highlighted that all the incoming Punjab Kings batters were dismissed very cheaply, saying:

“He had gotten his eye in and you asked him to come out when it was the time to hit sixes. Very bad decision because who came after that – Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan and Sam Curran – all of them came and got out. If the decision had been good, I would have praised them. If you check the stats, whenever such a thing has been done that a set batter has been asked to come out, how many times has the new batter won the match? Show me the stats, I will concede defeat.”

Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan also added that he would have agreed with the Punjab Kings’ call if a batter like Liam Livingstone had been waiting in the dugout as well. He said that Atharva Taide might not have been as destructive as the England big hitter but there was no such batter available who can do well with the bat at that moment as well.