"They wanted this player at any cost": Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings acquiring Harshal Patel for IPL 2024

New Delhi [India], January 21 (ANI): Former India batter Aakash Chopra stated that the Punjab Kings franchise went for Harshal Patel as they needed an experienced Indian bowling option to bowl along with left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh.

During the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Dubai last year, the Punjab franchise toppled the Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants with a prize of ₹11.75 crores for Harshal's skills.

The cricketer-turned-commentator asserted that PBKS had only one Indian bowler- Arsdeep Singh - this might be a reason that the side was looking for an Indian who could give company to a left-arm speedster and bowl in the death overs as well.

"They had an Indian fast bowler in the form of Arshdeep (Singh) but apart from him, all their fast bowlers were overseas, whether it was Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Ellis or Sam Curran. So they needed a partner for Arshdeep who could provide some help in the death overs or with the new ball," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Further, the former India batter said that they were committed during Harshal's bid and the management wanted him in their squad at any cost. They bought the right-arm pacer for Rs. 11.75 crores.

"Although I like their overseas recruits - Rabada and Nathan Ellis - a lot, it's not the right thing if you are forced to play both of them with Sam Curran. So they bought Harshal Patel for 11.75 crores. They were committed, they said they wanted this player at any cost," the 46-year-old added.

So far in the T20s, Harshal has played 178 matches, in which the 33-year-old player has snapped a total of 209 wickets at an average of 23.88 and has leaked runs at an economy of 8.24. The Sanand-born cricketer has three four-fers and one fifer against his name in this format. With 1,235 runs, an average of above 16 and four half-centuries, Harshal is also a very capable batter.

Harshal's best bowling figures in T20s is 5/27. This performance came while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Mumbai Indians in the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League. He became the first bowler to claim a 5-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in IPL. (ANI)