England and Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Sam Curran had yet another dismal outing, as he added an unwanted record to his name. Curran, who became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being bought by the Punjab Kings for INR 18.50 crore in the IPL 2023 mini-auction, leaked a staggering 98 runs in 9.5 overs in England’s four-wicket loss to the West Indies in the first match of the three-match ODI series on Sunday.
After this disappointing performance, Sam Curran has now given away the highest number of runs by an English bowler in a One Day International (ODI) match.
Sam Curran faced constant pressure from the Caribbean batters who didn’t let him find his rhythm. Young opener Alick Athanaze posed challenges for him during the powerplay, and later, skipper Shai Hope took charge.
Despite Curran’s reputation for excelling in delivering yorkers and slower balls during crucial moments, he struggled and conceded runs towards the end. His figures at the end were 0/98 in 9.5 overs.
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Sam Curran’s dismal form raises concerns for PBKS ahead of IPL 2024
Sam Curran secured the Punjab Kings deal during the IPL 2023 mini-auction following an outstanding T20 World Cup performance for England. He was recognized as the Player of the Tournament and earned the Player of the Match title in the final, contributing to England’s victory over Pakistan.
In 2023, the 25-year-old has had a modest ODI record, securing only 14 wickets in 12 appearances with an average of 39.07 and an economy rate of 6.73. His decline in T20s has been even more significant. While he picked up 25 wickets in 19 T20s last year with an average of 21.08, this year, he has only managed two wickets in six T20s, carrying a high average of 67.
Curran’s IPL 2023 campaign was underwhelming. He played in all 14 games, scoring 276 runs with a single fifty to his name. However, his bowling performance was a letdown for PBKS, as he managed only 10 wickets at an economy rate exceeding 10. This proved costly for his team, particularly in crucial matches.
