"I hit a six off Jofra Archer at Wankhede"- Punjab Kings' Atharva Taide looks back at 'game-changing moment' amidst IPL 2024

Amidst a star-studded batting line-up of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2023 season, young Vidarbha batter Atharva Taide made a mark for himself and showcased his potential.

The youngster scored a couple of half-centuries last season but feels his cameo against the Mumbai Indians (MI) was the game-changer for him. Taide had scored 29 runs off 17 balls, including three boundaries, and the six which was a superb upper-cut off speedster Jofra Archer.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Atharva Taide opened up on how that particular shot and the knock helped him gain confidence for an upward curve for the rest of the season. He said:

"I hit a six off Jofra Archer at Wankhede last season. Before the game, I had researched a lot and studied the bowler and then I anticipated when I was going to get a bouncer. When I hit six with an uppercut, I felt that I belonged to this level and got a belief that my mindset and my skills are sustainable at this level. Hitting Jofra was a game-changing moment for me."

In seven IPL games, Taide scored 186 runs at an impressive strike rate of 144.19. However, the southpaw believes he could have done much better. He added:

"I would say I could have done better last season. While I didn't have a great start, I did manage to score a couple of half-centuries. I felt I could do well because of the great team environment that we had. My management and my captain backed me a lot and that gave me confidence that I can not just perform at that level but also win games for my team."

Atharva Taide claimed that the philosophy of expressing themselves is the same for the IPL 2024 season as well, and their goal is to stick together as a unit and perform consistently.

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Atharva Taide on PBKS' new stadium

It has been the start of a new era for the Punjab Kings as they shifted bases from the PCA Stadium in Mohali to the new stadium in Mullanpur. Atharva Taide believes the new stadium can become a fortress for the Kings and expressed the team's desire to win the maiden IPL title for their fans as soon as possible. He stated:

"I think the new stadium is a big boon for us. We feel like it's a fortress for us, as it is built according to the strength of our team. I feel it has a better vibe than our earlier stadium. More people can come to support us now with the increased capacity and it makes a massive difference in crunch moments.

"We take a lot of pride in having passionate fans who keep turning up in support year after year. Although we haven't given the results as they would have liked, we would try to bring home a trophy for them soon."

PBKS had a fantastic start in their new stadium as they won their first game against the Delhi Capitals. They will travel to Lucknow to face the Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, March 30.