Matt Short IPL 2023 Review: Punjab Kings’ Power-Packed Top-Order Asset Australian opener Matt Short burst onto the IPL stage in 2023 with Punjab Kings, turning just 92 balls into 117 runs at a fiery strike rate of 127. Across six innings the right-hander peppered boundaries with 15 fours and four sixes, never letting the run-rate drop below a run-a-ball. His season-best 36 showcased the fearless approach that has made him a sought-after T20 specialist, and his 127 SR ranks among the highest for any debutant facing 90-plus deliveries last year. While primarily deployed as a pinch-hitting batsman, Short also rolled his arm over in three matches, conceding only 25 runs from four tight overs (economy 6.25) and keeping opposition batters guessing with subtle changes of pace. Although he is yet to claim his first IPL wicket, the control he offers gives Punjab Kings an extra bowling option on sluggish Indian tracks. With one season, one franchise and a growing reputation for quick runs, Matt Short has already stamped his identity as a 360-degree match-winner in the making. Expect bigger scores and more fireworks from the Punjab Kings opener when IPL 2024 rolls around.

Ayush Badoni has quietly become Lucknow Super Giants’ Mr Consistent, stacking 963 runs from only 695 balls across four straight seasons with the franchise. The 25-year-old right-hander strikes at a brisk 138, punctuating his stay with 73 fours and 38 sixes that light up the middle overs. Six half-centuries—peaking at an unbeaten 74—outline his habit of turning starts into match-shaping cameos in 46 innings. Rarely given the ball, Badoni has still chipped in with four wickets in seven short bowling bursts. Operating at an economy of 8.4 and a snappy strike rate of 8.75 balls per wicket, he offers LSG a handy sixth-bowling option when the match-up demands a surprise off-break. From his breakout 2022 campaign to the ongoing 2025 season, Badoni has remained a constant in the Lucknow line-up, the only player to feature in every IPL the franchise has contested. With each season his boundary count climbs, his strike rate holds firm, and his knack for finishing games sharpens—making Ayush Badoni a name fantasy managers and LSG faithful now bank on when crunch overs arrive.

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