Virender Sehwag, a former Indian opener, attacked Glenn Maxwell and Liam Livingstone, two international players for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), during the 2025 Indian Premier League. On April 20, the pair was dismissed from their respective teams for the RCB-PBKS match in Mullanpur.
Maxwell signed a third contract with PBKS at ₹4.2 crores at the 2025 IPL auction. Livingstone was purchased by RCB at the auction for ₹8.75 crores.
But the pair’s disappointing performance with the bat ultimately resulted in their dismissal. With a miserable average of 8.20 and a strike rate of 100, Maxwell has only amassed 41 runs in six appearances.
Livingstone has been marginally better, scoring 87 runs in seven games at an average of 17.40 and a strike rate of 127.94.
Virender Sehwag discussed the duo on Cricbuzz, saying (via Hindustan Times):
“I feel like Maxwell and Livingstone’s hunger is gone. Yeh yaha holiday manane aate hai, holiday banaakar chale jaate hain. (they just come here for a holiday). They arrive, have their fun, and leave. There’s no visible desire to fight for the team. I’ve spent time with a lot of former players, but only 1 or 2 really gave me the feeling that, ‘Yes, I genuinely want to do something for the team.”
Virender Sehwag
Maxwell has produced some significant contributions with the ball for PBKS despite the team’s dismal batting results. The Australian all-rounder has taken four wickets at an economy rate of 8.46 and an average of less than 28.
Additionally, Livingstone has rolled his arm over and taken two wickets at an economy rate of 8.44 and an average of 38 in his nine overs.
RCB Extend Away Dominance with Convincing Win Over PBKS
RCB and PBKS met for the second time this season in the afternoon game of Sunday’s (April 20), this time without Maxwell or Livingstone.
PBKS defeated RCB by five wickets on Friday, April 18, handing them their third straight home defeat. But at Mullanpur, RCB returned the favor to PBKS, extending their road dominance.
Rajat Patidar’s team won five straight away games without losing after successfully chasing 159 runs by seven wickets in the penultimate over. As a result, with ten points from eight games, RCB rose to third place in the standings.
PBKS dropped to fourth place with the same ten points in eight games, but a little lower net run rate than RCB.
