In Thursday's game against Gujarat Titans, on April 4, Shashank Singh, whom Punjab Kings signed by mistake at the most recent Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, unleashed his inner beast. The batting all-rounder hit an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls as Punjab chased a daunting 200-run mark at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. With his aggressive innings, PBKS finished the road game on a high note, winning by three wickets.
But now the big question is whether Shashank Singh was signed by mistake or was it planned. Tensions rose in the auction room on December 19, as the auctioneer, Mallika Sagar, completed the bidding process for Chhattisgarh's Shashank. She had no idea that it would confuse the PBKS owners, Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta, who claimed they had mistaken the player for another cricketer with the same name.
Did Punjab Kings Purchase Shashank Singh By Mistake In The Auction?
There seems to have been a mix-up concerning Shashank Singh, placing the owners in a vulnerable situation. After discussion erupted on social media over whether the PBKS had signed the incorrect Shashank, the franchise itself stepped out to clarify.
PBKS revealed that Shashank Singh was always a target for their squad. Shashank, too, had responded to PBKS's post on X, previously Twitter, stating that he was now looking forward to joining the side.
They wrote, “Punjab Kings would like to clarify that Shashank Singh was always on our target list. The confusion was due to 2 players of the same name being on the list. We are delighted to have him onboard and see him contribute to our success.”
So, poetically, his innings versus GT represented a real redemption for Shashank. Regardless of what transpired at the mini-auction, the 32-year-old appears to have all of the traits to become a trusted figure in Punjab's middle order. Following his match-winning knock against the Gujarat Titans, social media was inundated with amusing messages and memes about PBKS' selection at the auction.
Aside from Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Ashutosh Sharma all showcased their batting abilities in the match against the Gujarat Titans. Prabhsimran scored 35 off 24 balls, while Jietsh and Asutosh demonstrated their big-hitting abilities by scoring 16 and 31 runs, respectively, in the finish.
