Former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara shared a cherished memory from his time with the Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings. He joined the Punjab-based team, then known as Kings XI Punjab, in 2009 and played for them for two seasons.
Bopara reminisced about the 2009 IPL edition, which was held in South Africa due to elections in India. He played 15 matches for Punjab Kings, scoring 346 runs, including three half-centuries, and taking five wickets.
“At the beginning of the IPL, it was like a celebration, those days were fantastic,” Bopara said on FanCode’s IPL show ‘The Super Over.’
However, the standout moment for Bopara was not a cricketing achievement but a kind gesture from team co-owner and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta. She cooked aloo parathas for him with her own hands, an unforgettable experience.
“The most memorable moment, besides winning and achieving my highest score, was when Preity Zinta personally cooked parathas for me. She prepared them with her own hands. When she asked about my breakfast preferences, I mentioned aloo parathas, and she kindly made them herself. I will always be grateful for that kind gesture,” he said.
Despite Bopara’s contributions, Punjab Kings had a mixed season in 2009, finishing fifth on the points table with seven wins and seven losses. The following year, in 2010, they struggled further, ending up at the bottom of the table with only four wins out of 14 matches.
Punjab Kings started their IPL 2024 campaign with a win over Delhi Capitals at their new home ground, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. They produced a clinical performance to register a four-wicket victory. However, they failed to maintain the momentum and lost their next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
In a thrilling contest, RCB held their nerves in a tricky 177-run chase and won the match by four wickets with four balls to spare.