"Preity Zinta cooked parathas for me" - Former Punjab Kings star Ravi Bopara recalls his IPL days

Former Punjab Kings all-rounder Ravi Bopara has revealed that Bollywood actress and the franchise's co-owner Preity Zinta cooked 'parathas' for him while recalling his journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 38-year-old represented the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) during the second and the third editions of the league back in 2009 and 2010. Bopara got nostalgic after being asked about his IPL days during the FanCode’s IPL show ‘The Super Over’ and said:

"Those were the early days in the IPL when it was a party, those were the great days. The standout moment apart from winning, and getting my highest score, was when Preity Zinta cooked parathas for me. She made them with her own hands. When she asked me what I wanted for breakfast, I mentioned aloo parathas and she graciously made them herself. I am forever thankful for that gesture."

In the two seasons he played for the Mohali-based franchise, Ravi Bopara amassed 386 runs in 15 matches, with his highest score being 84.

A useful right-arm medium bowler, Bopara also picked up five wickets for Punjab in the 2010 IPL. He has also represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2015 edition scoring 145 runs apart from scalping six wickets.

Punjab Kings have one win and a loss in IPL 2024 so far

Punjab Kings started this season with a four-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals at their brand new home ground - the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur - on Saturday, March 23.

The 2014 IPL runners up though couldn't maintain the momentum and extend their run as they suffered a four-wicket defeat in the next game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium two days later.

Having failed to reach the playoffs even once since the 2015 season, the Punjab Kings will be hoping to turn their fortunes around at least in this edition of the IPL. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side has a balanced squad this season with a perfect mix of young and experienced players at both domestic and overseas levels.

Can they finally seal their knockout spot after a long hiatus? Let us know your views in the comments section!