New Delhi: Kings XI Punjab coach Sanjay Bangar reacted strongly to a media report, which claimed that the team’s co-owner Preity Zinta threatened to sack him after the one-run loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in an Indian Premier League game on Monday, and termed it as “fabricated”.
Barely an hour after Preity lashed out at the report on her Facebook page, denying any such incident after the match, Bangar also took to the social networking site to deny the report.
“After our one run defeat against RCB, there was the usual post match discussion on the match with Kings XI owners. Some reports in the media have blown the issue totally out of proportion by fabricating a non existent chain of events. loss by close margin hurts but team has been playing good cricket,” Bangar wrote.
“No reported abusive or disrespectful language was against me. Kings XI will continue to fight for its survival in the tournament,” the former India all-rounder further stated.
Earlier, a Mumbai-based daily published a news report accusing Preity of abusing Bangar after the match.
“I most definitely did not be disrespectful to our coach nor abuse any one and definitely did not use the four letter word. Sanjay and I both have denied this story still it gets printed. I am fed up of this nonsense and negativity,” the Bollywood actress wrote on her Facebook page.
Meanwhile, Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait has joined Kolkata Knight Riders for the rest of the season, replacing compatriot John Hastings, who returned home with an ankle injury.
Tait, who went unsold in auctions held in February for IPL teams, joins a long list of Australian players taking part in the latest edition of the cash-rich league.
“Pleasure to welcome @shaun_tait32 to @KKRiders family. Welcome Taity!,” Kolkata chief executive Venky Mysore wrote on Twitter.
The 33-year-old speedster will join fellow Australians Chris Lynn and Brad Hogg at KKR, who are in a strong position to qualify for the play-offs.
Tait is set for a second IPL stint after previously representing the former Rajasthan Royals, where he picked up 23 wickets at an average of 27.82 in 21 matches.
Tait, who quit One Day Internationals in 2011, has made a mark on Twenty20 cricket with an impressive performance in Australia’s Big Bash league.
He is known for bowling the second-fastest ball in cricket history, which clocked 161.1 kilometres per hour (100.1 miles per hour), in an ODI against England at Lord’s in 2010.
