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.

Varun Chakravarthy has become the mystery spinner Kolkata Knight Riders refuse to release. Across seven IPL seasons—six with KKR and his 2019 debut with Punjab Kings—the Tamil Nadu leg-spinner has pocketed 100 wickets in just 83 bowling innings. His economy rate of 7.58 runs per over is built on 1,888 balls of relentless pressure, and every 18.88 balls he strikes again. The 31-year-old has turned games on their heads eight times with three-wicket bursts and once produced a magical 5-wicket haul that still echoes in IPL folklore. While his batting card shows only 26 runs from 47 balls, those numbers underline a man hired to bamboozle, not belt. With KKR retaining him from 2020 through the 2025 auction, Varun Chakravarthy remains the Purple spin king Eden Gardens trusts to defend totals and shatter chase scripts.

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