Nehal Wadhera’s Surprise Call-Up Turns into Match-Winning Knock for PBKS
Lucknow, April 2: Nehal Wadhera wasn’t expecting to play on Tuesday — he didn’t even bring a second kit. But when he got the late nod from coach Ricky Ponting, he made it count with a stunning unbeaten 43 off just 25 balls, helping Punjab Kings (PBKS) cruise to an eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 13th match of IPL 2025.
In a post-match press interaction, the 23-year-old left-hander admitted he was caught off guard by his sudden inclusion.
“I didn’t know I would be playing. I only brought one kit. Normally, I carry two — one for batting, one for fielding. I even came in full sleeves,” Wadhera said, smiling.
He credited the spontaneity for his cool-headed approach.
“If I had known earlier, I might have overthought it. Sometimes not knowing helps. It turned out to be a lucky day for me.”
Wadhera only got a hint during warm-ups when Ponting approached him casually.
“Ricky came and said, ‘If we bowl first, you’re in the eleven.’ I was surprised. I thought maybe he made a mistake,” he laughed.
Once PBKS bowled first, Wadhera quickly adjusted, warming up mid-innings knowing he’d be called to field.
Chasing 172, Punjab lost Priyansh Arya (8) early, but Prabhsimran Singh’s explosive 69 (34 balls) and Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 52 provided a strong foundation. Wadhera joined the skipper and unleashed a flurry of boundaries and sixes to seal the match with 22 balls to spare.
His knock included three fours and four sixes, showing why he might be a permanent fixture in the XI going forward.
Despite fighting fifties from Nicholas Pooran (44) and Ayush Badoni (41), and a quick cameo by Abdul Samad (27 off 12), LSG could only muster 171/7. Arshdeep Singh starred with 3/43, while Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Maxwell, and Yuzvendra Chahal also chipped in.
PBKS now sit second on the table with two wins in two, while LSG drop to sixth.
From unexpected call-up to clutch finisher, Nehal Wadhera’s journey from the bench to the headlines proves that sometimes, not knowing is half the magic.
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