Just In | Rabada, Livingstone Won't Play vs RR in Guwahati
Punjab players celebrating a wicket in IPL 2022 (Twitter)
In what comes as a shocker for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) fans, two of their prime foreign recruits - Kagiso Rabada and Liam Livingstone - wouldn't be available to participate in the team's upcoming clash against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.
The update was confirmed by PBKS' spin bowling coach, Sunil Joshi, before the toss between both teams.
Rabada was part of the South African party, which travelled to India late after the conclusion of the ODI series against the Netherlands. The seamer has been asked for some extra rest before being available to play in Punjab's next fixture, which is versus Hyderabad on Sunday.
Interestingly, Gujarat's David Miller, who boarded the same flight as the Punjab seamer, played his side's game against Delhi on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, as per the spin bowling coach, the English all-rounder is yet to join PBKS' camp as he is recovering from a long injury layoff. However, it is understood that Livingstone will take part in the IPL 2023 sometime later in the tournament.
"Not for this game, but definitely they (Kagiso Rabada and Liam Livingstone) will be available soon. Rabada was playing the Netherlands series, he should be available from the next game. Livingstone, we are just waiting and he should be joining the squad soon," Sunil Joshi said in the pre-match interview with the broadcaster.
Without their two key foreign players, Punjab will most certainly be playing the four overseas players who played against Kolkata in their season opener.
The visiting team isn't expected to make any such changes to their Playing XI, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza and Nathan Ellis being their foreign players.
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