LUCKNOW: A fighting half-century from Sikandar Raza and an entertaining cameo by Shahrukh Khan powered Punjab Kings to a hard-fought two-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday.
With this win, PBKS has jumped to fourth position in the points table with three wins and two losses in five matches. They have a total of six points.
LSG is in second position with a similar win-loss record, but they have an inferior net-run-rate which puts them below toppers Rajasthan Royals.
In the chase of 160 runs, Punjab Kings struggled at the start as IPL debutant Yudhvir Singh picked up wickets of Atharva Taide (0) and Prabhsimran Singh (4) to reduce PBKS to 17/2 in 2.2 overs.
Matthew Short looked in good touch, smashing Avesh Khan for three straight fours in the third over.
Short looked to build a stand with Harpreet Bhatia, but was dismissed on the final ball of the sixth over for 34 off 22 balls, consisting of five fours and a six. Krishnappa Gowtham dislodged his stumps to send PBKS sinking at 45/3 in 6 overs.
PBKS crossed the 50-run mark in 7.2 overs.
Harpreet Bhatia and Sikandar Raza carried the chase forward. At the end of 10 overs, PBKS was at 68/3, with Harpreet (17*) and Raza (11*) unbeaten at the crease.
Krunal Pandya disrupted PBKS’s efforts once again as he dismissed Harpeet for 22 off 22 balls. Yudhvir Singh caught the batter at deep backward square. PBKS was at 75/4 in 11 overs.
Raza relieved some pressure in the 13th over, smashing Krunal Pandya for two sixes and a four. The over gave away 17 runs, taking PBKS to 99/4 in 13 overs.
With help of a boundary from Raza, PBKS crossed the 100-run mark in 13.1 overs.
Ravi Bishnoi helped LSG come back into the game, dismissing a dangerous Sam Curran for just six runs. Half of the PBKS line-up was inside the hut at 112 runs in 14.3 overs.
Raza brought up his maiden half-century in just 34 balls, consisting of three fours and three sixes. But on the very next ball, he was dismissed by Mark Wood after a diving catch from KL Rahul. PBKS was 122/6 in 15.5 overs.
Shahrukh Khan was the next batter on the crease, smashing six on his very first ball. PBKS was 128/6 in 16 overs, needing 32 in the final four overs.
The equation came down to 23 runs in final three overs.
Bishnoi took a crucial wicket of Raza, who was caught by Stoinis at deep-backwards square leg for 57 off 41 balls, consisting of four boundaries and three sixes. PBKS was at 139/7 in 17.5 overs.
The equation came down to 20 runs in final two overs.
Brar and Shahrukh lightened the pressure with a four and six, but Wood got the last laugh by dismissing Brar for six. PBKS was 153/8 in 18.5 overs, needing seven runs in seven balls.
PBKS needed seven runs in final six overs. The visitors finished the chase successfully, finishing at 161/8 in 19.3 overs. Shahrukh played a cameo of 23* in 10 balls with a four and two sixes.
Yudhvir was the pick of the bowlers for LSG, taking 2/19 in three overs. Wood took 2/35 in his four overs. Bishnoi also got two scalps while Gowtham and Pandya got one wicket each.
Earlier, half-century from skipper KL Rahul helped Lucknow Super Giants reach a modest total of 159/8 despite fiery spells from stand-in Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Sam Curran and pacer Kagiso Rabada in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday.
After being put to bat first by PBKS, LSG was off to a solid start. Openers KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers played a contrasting roles from each end, with Mayers being an aggressor.
At the end of the powerplay in six overs, LSG was at 49/0, with Mayers (28*) and Rahul (20*) unbeaten.
LSG touched the 50-run mark in 6.4 overs.
Harpreet Brar gave PBKS the breakthrough they needed, dismissing Mayers for 29 off 23 balls, consisting of four and three sixes. LSG was 53/1 in 7.4 overs.
Deepak Hooda was next up on the crease. He was playing his 100th IPL match. But he could not make his night memorable as he was trapped leg-before-wicket for just two runs off three balls by Sikandar Raza. LSG was 62/2 in 8.4 overs.
Rahul reached 4,000 runs in IPL, becoming the fastest player to do so.
At the end of 10 overs, LSG was at 74/2, with Rahul (36*) joined by Krunal Pandya (6*) at the crease.
Krunal and KL started to build a partnership, helping LSG cross the 100-run mark in 12.4 overs.
KL reached his first half-century of the season in 40 balls, consisting of seven fours.
In the 15th over of the match, pacer Kagiso Rabada put an end to the 48-run partnership between the duo as Krunal was caught by Shahrukh Khan at deep-midwicket for 18 off 17 balls while attempting to clear the shorter end of the field. On the very next ball, he also got the prized wicket of Nicholas Pooran, who was dismissed for a golden duck after a rich run of form so far. LSG was reduced to 111/4 in 15 overs, with Rahul (54*) and Marcus Stoinis (0*) unbeaten at the crease.
With five overs left to make an impact, both Rahul and Stoinis let their arms loose with some sixes.
Stand-in skipper Sam Curran took the wicket of Stoinis, sending him back for 15 off 11 balls, with two sixes after he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. LSG was 142/5 in 17.5 overs.
LSG touched the 150-run mark in 18.3 overs.
Arshdeep Singh got his first wicket, sending back Rahul for 74 off 56 balls, consisting of eight fours and a six. The batter was caught by substitute Nathan Ellis at long-on. LSG was 150/6 in 18.4 overs.
Curran got his second wicket in the final over, dismissing Krishnappa Gowtham for just one run after being caught by Raza at long-off. LSG was 154/7 in 19.3 overs. On the very next ball, he got the wicket of Yudhvir Singh too, for a golden duck. LSG was 154/8 in 19.4 overs.
LSG ended their innings at 159/8, with Ravi Bishnoi (3*) and Ayush Badoni (5*) unbeaten.
Curran was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, taking 3/31 in his four overs. Rabada also took 2/34 in his four overs. Arshdeep, Raza and Brar took one scalp each.
Brief Scores: LSG: 159/8 (KL Rahul 74, Kyle Mayers 29, Sam Curran 3/31) lost against PBKS: 161/8 in 19.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 57, Matthew Short 34, Yudhvir Singh 2/19). (ANI)