Liam Livingstone Set To Miss Punjab’s IPL 2023 Opener Against Nitish Rana’s Kolkata
New Delhi: Destructive England batter Liam Livingstone is all set to miss Punjab’s opening game of the IPL 2023. Punjab open their campaign against Nitish Rana’s Kolkata on April 1 in Mohali. Livingstone is yet to get a fitness clearance from the ECB after recovering from the knee injury he suffered in December.
The swashbuckling batter, however, is likely to be available for the team’s second game against Rajasthan on April 5. Livingstone picked up the knee injury during his Test debut in Pakistan in December last year and hasn’t played cricket since then. Livingstone had also suffered an ankle injury during the Hundred last year. Livingstone will be a key member of the Punjab’s set-up given his all-round skills.
“He is out of the first game at least as the ECB is conducting scans to determine his fitness status,” an IPL source told PTI. “He should be available from the second game onwards.”
Punjab have been one of the most inconsistent teams in IPL history. Despite having a quality side on paper, the team has struggled to put together a strong show in the T20 extravaganza. However, the new season of IPL has brought a new ray of hope for the franchise.
Livingstone had a brilliant IPL season last year, amassing amassed 437 runs in 14 games at an average of 36.41 and a strike rate of 182.08. The all-rounder also contributed with the ball and picked up six wickets. The Kings, however, finished sixth for the fourth season in a row. Along with Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada will also miss the team’s opening game against Kolkata due to national commitments. Rabada will join the Punjab squad two days ahead of the team’s match against Rajasthan on April 5.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s campaign has been dealt with several injury blows. The team will be without Jonny Bairstow who has been ruled out due to injury. Sam Curran is the only England player to have joined the Punjab squad.
IPL 2023: Punjab Full Squad, Player Names
Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh