Punjab Kings (PBKS) have been forced to make one change to their playing XI against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Shreyas Iyer-led side has brought in Xavier Bartlett to replace their ace pacer Lockie Ferguson. The Kiwi quick had injured himself and, as per PBKS bowling coach James Hope, is out indefinitely.
Who is Xavier Bartlett?
Bartlett is a 26-year-old fast bowler from Australia, who’ll be making his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut. PBKS had acquired the pacer for just Rs 80 lakh at the mega auction. Standing at 6.2 feet tall, Bartlett consistently bowls in the 130s. He’s got a nifty slower ball and is known for his change of pace. Bartlett can bowl in the powerplay and swings the ball up front. As for his death bowling, he relies on hitting his lines and slower ones.
He’s made a name for himself in the Big Bash League (BBL), where he plays for the Brisbane Heat. Bartlett was the highest wicket-taker in the BBL 2023-24 season, taking 20 wickets at 14.70. His overall numbers are also impressive, with 80 wickets to his name in 64 matches.
Xavier Bartlett T20 stats
| Matches | Wickets | Best Figures | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20Is | 7 | 11 | 3/13 | 14.72 | 6.84 | 12.9 |
| T20s | 64 | 80 | 4/10 | 21.93 | 8.37 | 15.7 |
Bartlett has also played 7 T20Is and 2 ODIs for Australia. He made his international debut in February 2024 and his performance in the shortest format has been impressive.
PBKS Playing XI vs KKR
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Josh Inglis, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Subs: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Suryansh Shedge, Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey
