Punjab has lost four of their first six games in the ongoing 17th edition of IPL and they are currently in eighth position in the IPL 2024 points table, largely due to their problems with the bat at the top-order.
Tag: Punjab Kings
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IPL 2024: Why Jos Buttler Is Not Playing PBKS Vs RR Match? Read Here | cricket news
What came as a big blow for the IPL 2024 table leaders Rajasthan Royals in the clash against the Punjab Kings was that first-choice picks Jos Buttler and R Ashwin were not available for the match. RR skipper Sanju Samson informed that Buttler was not 100 per cent fit for the game at toss.
“We’ll bowl first, it looks like a decent wicket to bowl first. We’ve made a target to not think about the goal, focus on the process, work on building the team and we’re doing well. A lot of challenges outside as well, we’ve many players missing from tonight’s game – Jos isn’t 100%, Ash bhai is having a niggle, so Rovman and Tanush Kotian come into the XI,” said Samson. after winning the toss. (IPL 2024: Why Punjab Kings Captain Shikhar Dhawan Is Not Playing PBKS vs RR Match?)
Rajasthan Royals (RR) teammates Jos Buttler and Trent Boult revealed some of their favorite TV shows, actors they would like to play their characters in a biopic and some Indian Premier League (IPL) and cricketing favorites ahead of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) clash. at Mullanpur taking place on Saturday.
RR and PBKS will lock horns at Mullanpur on Saturday. RR is at the top with four wins and a loss and their winning streak was ended by Gujarat Titans (GT). PBKS is in the eighth spot with two wins and three losses. They lost their previous match to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
In a fun Q/A session before the game, Buttler revealed the actor he would like to play his character in a biopic, he said, “Shahrukh Khan.”
The English wicketkeeper-batter asked the Kiwi pacer that what was the last thing he searched on his phone, to which Boult hilariously replied, “Trent Boult dismissing Jos Buttler.”
On being asked about his craziest fan interaction, Boult remarked that Indian fans are pretty crazy with their favorite players.
“It’s just selfies, waves and blowing kisses, which is weird,” he added.
Buttler was asked about one show that he could binge-watch for life and the English star revealed that it would be ‘Friends’, a popular American sitcom from the 1990s featuring actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, late Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer.
Trent Boult also revealed that right-hand batsman KL Rahul, currently representing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL, is his favorite Indian player. Buttler, on being asked about the best cover drive, said that “I would say Virat Kohli.”
The Kiwi pacer Boult revealed that his favorite IPL dismissal would be his 100th wicket in the tournament, which turned out to be Virat from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
On being asked about a batsman from the past he would like to dismiss, Boult said, “I would like to get a piece of Kevin Pietersen (former England batsman).
Boult revealed that he would be a postman if he was not a cricketer.
On being asked to choose between England’s ‘Bazball’ style of cricket and his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal’s style of cricket, popularly known as “Jaisball” since the Test series against England, Buttler sided with the latter.
“It was sad to see him score so many runs (in the series against England). But as a Royals player, it was impressive,” said Buttler.
Boult crowned Indian and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pace veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the “best new ball bowler.”
On one current IPL cricketer Buttler would like to have in RR, the batter replied, “Rashid Khan (currently playing for GT).”
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Virat Kohli Speaks To Son Akaay, Anushka, Vamika Over Video Call After RCB Beat PBKS In Thrilling IPL 2024 Clash; Watch | cricket news
It was a heartwarming moment in the middle in Bengaluru when Virat Kohli spoke to his family members from the M Chinnaswamy ground. Anushka, their daughter and newly-born son Akaay are in London at the moment. Virat pressed the dial button to speak to wife after RCB clinched a cliffhanger against Punjab in which Virat also struck a brilliant 77 off 49 balls. Cameras spotted Kohli conversing with Akaay as he made faces while speaking over the call and smiled constantly, revealing to the world who was on the other side of this video call.
Also Read | ‘Someone’s Trash…,’ Former India Cricketer’s On-Air Comment For Yash Dayal Goes Viral
Check out the video of Virat speaking to Anushka, Vamika and Akaay:
Virat Kohli talking to his family is just _ pic.twitter.com/Vad6J3X9sR — Harshit Poddar (@harshitpoddar09) March 25, 2024
Virat also got the Player of the match award for setting up the chase which eventually Dinesh Karthik finished in style. He spoke of his time off the field. Virat was with wife in London for more than two months as they waited for the birth of their second child whom they named Akaay. While the rest of the family is still in London, away from the attention and limelight they get in India, Virat came back to India to play the IPL.
The 35-year-old said that he enjoyed his time in London where not many recognized him on the streets as he could casually walk into a restaurant with his daughter to have some food or coffee. “We were not in the country (talking about his break). We were in a place where people were not recognizing us. Just time together as a family, just to feel normal for two months – for me, my family – it was a surreal experience. Of course having two kids, things become totally different from a family perspective. Just the ability to be together, the connections you make with your older child. Couldn’t have been more grateful to God for the opportunity to spend time with the family,” said Virat.
Virat is the current holder of the Orange Cap. He will aim to keep it throughout the tournament which will mean that he is contributing with the bat and fulfilling his responsibilities. “People talk about a lot of other things when you play sport – achievement, stats, numbers. But when you look back it’s the memories you create. Rahul bhai in the change room says the same nowadays. When you play, play your heart out. because you’re going to miss these times,” said Virat.
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IPL 2024: Punjab Kings Home Matches To Take Place At Newly-Developed Stadium, Read Details Here
Instead of the traditional soil, the ground is made of sand, which is difficult to maintain, but provides good stability.
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Arshdeep Singh delighted to represent India, says bowling to Punjab Kings batters helped perfect yorkers
By PTI
MUMBAI: Delighted to earn a maiden national call-up, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh said bowling to the big-hitting Punjab Kings batters in the nets helped him perfect his yorkers.
The 23-year-old, who has impressed one and all with his death over bowling this season, ended his IPL campaign with 10 wickets and an economy rate of 7.70.
His ability to bowl the change-ups along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole earned him a place in the squad for the home series against South Africa next month.
Arshdeep got to know the good news on his way to Punjab’s last league stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
“I got to know just before the match, in the bus that I have got selected in the Indian team. Because the match was going on I didn’t feel much,” Arshdeep told teammate Harpreet Brar after Punjab Kings’ five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“It will sink in slowly. It is a special moment. I feel lucky and grateful would like to continue like this,” he added.
The youngster, who served as a net bowlers for the Indian team in an away series against Sri Lanka last year, said bowling to world-class batters, including Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, in the Punjab Kings nets session helped him perfect his craft.
“Credit goes to management. They got such batters in the team that the only option to stop them in the nets was by bowling yorkers. And that improved my ability to bowl yorkers.”
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Arshdeep Singh delighted to represent India, says bowling to Punjab Kings batters helped perfect yorkers
By PTI
MUMBAI: Delighted to earn a maiden national call-up, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh said bowling to the big-hitting Punjab Kings batters in the nets helped him perfect his yorkers.
The 23-year-old, who has impressed one and all with his death over bowling this season, ended his IPL campaign with 10 wickets and an economy rate of 7.70.
His ability to bowl the change-ups along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole earned him a place in the squad for the home series against South Africa next month.
Arshdeep got to know the good news on his way to Punjab’s last league stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
“I got to know just before the match, in the bus that I have got selected in the Indian team. Because the match was going on I didn’t feel much,” Arshdeep told teammate Harpreet Brar after Punjab Kings’ five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“It will sink in slowly. It is a special moment. I feel lucky and grateful would like to continue like this,” he added.
The youngster, who served as a net bowlers for the Indian team in an away series against Sri Lanka last year, said bowling to world-class batters, including Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, in the Punjab Kings nets session helped him perfect his craft.
“Credit goes to management. They got such batters in the team that the only option to stop them in the nets was by bowling yorkers. And that improved my ability to bowl yorkers.”
MUMBAI: Delighted to earn a maiden national call-up, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh said bowling to the big-hitting Punjab Kings batters in the nets helped him perfect his yorkers.
The 23-year-old, who has impressed one and all with his death over bowling this season, ended his IPL campaign with 10 wickets and an economy rate of 7.70.
His ability to bowl the change-ups along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole earned him a place in the squad for the home series against South Africa next month.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
Arshdeep got to know the good news on his way to Punjab’s last league stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
“I got to know just before the match, in the bus that I have got selected in the Indian team. Because the match was going on I didn’t feel much,” Arshdeep told teammate Harpreet Brar after Punjab Kings’ five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“It will sink in slowly. It is a special moment. I feel lucky and grateful would like to continue like this,” he added.
The youngster, who served as a net bowlers for the Indian team in an away series against Sri Lanka last year, said bowling to world-class batters, including Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, in the Punjab Kings nets session helped him perfect his craft.
“Credit goes to management. They got such batters in the team that the only option to stop them in the nets was by bowling yorkers. And that improved my ability to bowl yorkers.”
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IPL 2022: Royal comeback for Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rajasthan trump Punjab by six wickets
Express News Service
BENGALURU: 20, 1 and 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s numbers in the first three matches of the Indian Premier League this season does not justify his talent. The 20-year-old from Mumbai is looked upon as an upcoming Indian player, and why not. At 17, he became the youngest player to score a List-A double century. But with the quality of Indian players coming up the ranks, there is a serious need for players to be consistent at all levels, including the IPL to catch the attention of the selectors. That is where Jaiswal needed to improve upon.
However, there is no doubt about the talent that exists in his batting and the Royals, who retained him ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, know it fully well. For a start, giving him the openers role in the first three matches despite having Devdutt Padikkal, a proven IPL opener, shows how much the Royals management hold him in high esteem. But his performance in the initial stages was a disappointment. Jaiswal, who last played more than a month ago, was given another opportunity against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
In fact, the player only got a chance with middle-order player Karun Nair having failed to make an impression in the last few games. With Jaiswal’s inclusion being the only change, there was pressure on Mumbai’s southpaw. He had to deliver, and the youngster did exactly that with his highest score in the IPL (68) to steer his team to victory by six wickets. If Jaiswal set the platform, Shimron Hetmyer hit three fours and two sixes to finish the job with a 16-ball 31.
With Punjab posting a good score of 189, as an opener Jaiswal did not have to think too much about his approach. It helped him. There were no two ways about it. He had to score at a fair clip, ensuring that the team was off to a flier. He did not take much time to get his A game going. In the third ball of the first over, he cut Sandeep Sharma past point for a four. He followed that up with a six and four, which did his confidence a world of good.
Though in-form Buttler was out for a breezy 16-ball 30, Jaiswal was in no mood to allow the opponents to get into the game. The southpaw, alongside Sanju Samson, dealt in boundaries with constant ease, but the burden shifted to Jaiswal quickly after the skipper was out for 23 in the ninth over.
As Padikkal joined him in the middle, it was a test of character for Jaiswal. The team also expected him to finish the game, but his job was made difficult by the Karnataka batter, who could not find the fence during the middle overs. The pressure multiplied with the required run rate increasing every over, but he did his best, hitting boundaries almost every over before falling in the 15th over. Even after Jaiswal’s wicket, Padikkal was not able to score freely, but Hetmyer helped Rajasthan pick up their seventh win of the season.
Though the major credit for the win will go to Jaiswal and Hetmyer, Yuzvendra Chahal needs a special mention for his three-wicket haul in the first innings, taking his tally to an impressive 22 scalps.
Brief scores: PBKS 189/5 in 20 ovs (Bairstow 56; Chahal 3/28) lost to RR 190/4 in 19.4 ovs (Jaiswal 68; Arshdeep 2/29)
BENGALURU: 20, 1 and 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s numbers in the first three matches of the Indian Premier League this season does not justify his talent. The 20-year-old from Mumbai is looked upon as an upcoming Indian player, and why not. At 17, he became the youngest player to score a List-A double century. But with the quality of Indian players coming up the ranks, there is a serious need for players to be consistent at all levels, including the IPL to catch the attention of the selectors. That is where Jaiswal needed to improve upon.
However, there is no doubt about the talent that exists in his batting and the Royals, who retained him ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, know it fully well. For a start, giving him the openers role in the first three matches despite having Devdutt Padikkal, a proven IPL opener, shows how much the Royals management hold him in high esteem. But his performance in the initial stages was a disappointment. Jaiswal, who last played more than a month ago, was given another opportunity against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
In fact, the player only got a chance with middle-order player Karun Nair having failed to make an impression in the last few games. With Jaiswal’s inclusion being the only change, there was pressure on Mumbai’s southpaw. He had to deliver, and the youngster did exactly that with his highest score in the IPL (68) to steer his team to victory by six wickets. If Jaiswal set the platform, Shimron Hetmyer hit three fours and two sixes to finish the job with a 16-ball 31.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
With Punjab posting a good score of 189, as an opener Jaiswal did not have to think too much about his approach. It helped him. There were no two ways about it. He had to score at a fair clip, ensuring that the team was off to a flier. He did not take much time to get his A game going. In the third ball of the first over, he cut Sandeep Sharma past point for a four. He followed that up with a six and four, which did his confidence a world of good.
Though in-form Buttler was out for a breezy 16-ball 30, Jaiswal was in no mood to allow the opponents to get into the game. The southpaw, alongside Sanju Samson, dealt in boundaries with constant ease, but the burden shifted to Jaiswal quickly after the skipper was out for 23 in the ninth over.
As Padikkal joined him in the middle, it was a test of character for Jaiswal. The team also expected him to finish the game, but his job was made difficult by the Karnataka batter, who could not find the fence during the middle overs. The pressure multiplied with the required run rate increasing every over, but he did his best, hitting boundaries almost every over before falling in the 15th over. Even after Jaiswal’s wicket, Padikkal was not able to score freely, but Hetmyer helped Rajasthan pick up their seventh win of the season.
Though the major credit for the win will go to Jaiswal and Hetmyer, Yuzvendra Chahal needs a special mention for his three-wicket haul in the first innings, taking his tally to an impressive 22 scalps.
Brief scores: PBKS 189/5 in 20 ovs (Bairstow 56; Chahal 3/28) lost to RR 190/4 in 19.4 ovs (Jaiswal 68; Arshdeep 2/29)
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IPL 2022: Royal comeback for Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rajasthan trump Punjab by six wickets
Express News Service
BENGALURU: 20, 1 and 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s numbers in the first three matches of the Indian Premier League this season does not justify his talent. The 20-year-old from Mumbai is looked upon as an upcoming Indian player, and why not. At 17, he became the youngest player to score a List-A double century. But with the quality of Indian players coming up the ranks, there is a serious need for players to be consistent at all levels, including the IPL to catch the attention of the selectors. That is where Jaiswal needed to improve upon.
However, there is no doubt about the talent that exists in his batting and the Royals, who retained him ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, know it fully well. For a start, giving him the openers role in the first three matches despite having Devdutt Padikkal, a proven IPL opener, shows how much the Royals management hold him in high esteem. But his performance in the initial stages was a disappointment. Jaiswal, who last played more than a month ago, was given another opportunity against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
In fact, the player only got a chance with middle-order player Karun Nair having failed to make an impression in the last few games. With Jaiswal’s inclusion being the only change, there was pressure on Mumbai’s southpaw. He had to deliver, and the youngster did exactly that with his highest score in the IPL (68) to steer his team to victory by six wickets. If Jaiswal set the platform, Shimron Hetmyer hit three fours and two sixes to finish the job with a 16-ball 31.
With Punjab posting a good score of 189, as an opener Jaiswal did not have to think too much about his approach. It helped him. There were no two ways about it. He had to score at a fair clip, ensuring that the team was off to a flier. He did not take much time to get his A game going. In the third ball of the first over, he cut Sandeep Sharma past point for a four. He followed that up with a six and four, which did his confidence a world of good.
Though in-form Buttler was out for a breezy 16-ball 30, Jaiswal was in no mood to allow the opponents to get into the game. The southpaw, alongside Sanju Samson, dealt in boundaries with constant ease, but the burden shifted to Jaiswal quickly after the skipper was out for 23 in the ninth over.
As Padikkal joined him in the middle, it was a test of character for Jaiswal. The team also expected him to finish the game, but his job was made difficult by the Karnataka batter, who could not find the fence during the middle overs. The pressure multiplied with the required run rate increasing every over, but he did his best, hitting boundaries almost every over before falling in the 15th over. Even after Jaiswal’s wicket, Padikkal was not able to score freely, but Hetmyer helped Rajasthan pick up their seventh win of the season.
Though the major credit for the win will go to Jaiswal and Hetmyer, Yuzvendra Chahal needs a special mention for his three-wicket haul in the first innings, taking his tally to an impressive 22 scalps.
Brief scores: PBKS 189/5 in 20 ovs (Bairstow 56; Chahal 3/28) lost to RR 190/4 in 19.4 ovs (Jaiswal 68; Arshdeep 2/29)
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Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan lead Punjab Kings to 8-wicket win over Gujarat Titans
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Gujarat Titans have enjoyed chasing. Five matches. Five wins. Their middle-order (David Miller, Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia) averages 99.75, strikes at over 165, hits sixes in all areas against all bowlers and have been the side’s magic workers at the death under the lights.
But with qualification to the play-offs almost assured and a lot of spare games in the bank, Hardik Pandya wanted to test the battle-readiness of the franchise. So he became the first captain of the 2022 season to bat first in a night game.
Their opponents, Punjab Kings, would have killed to have been in such a state of mind. With their gung-ho approach in tatters after a series of largely underwhelming performances with both bat and ball, they needed a win to resuscitate their campaign.
Resuscitate they did with a commanding performance with bat and ball to pick up their fifth win of the season.
Considering the stakes, it was only apt that their bowlers belatedly came to the fore on a surface where scoring freely was proving to be a difficult proposition. That Gujarat managed to hit only two sixes was an indication of this. At one point of time during the first innings, even the ones and twos required the batters to improvise.
The passage of play, the six overs between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over summed up the first 20 overs in a microcosm: 13 dots, 18 singles, 2 wickets and one boundary. In the end, they limped to 143/8, their worst score of the season so far. Curiously, it was also the second most economical bowling display by Punjab.
Chasing down 144 was never going to be a problem even if Jonny Bairstow, promoted to open the batting, perished cheaply. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (40 off 28) provided the initial thrust before Liam Livingstone finished it off with 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4 in the 16th over to win the game with four overs and eight wickets to spare.
Coming back to the Gujarat innings, the target would have been smaller if not for Sai Sudharsan’s gritty, unbeaten 65 off 50 balls. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination but the Tamil Nadu man applied himself, dotted up even as wickets fell at the other end (he was 31 off 30 at one stage) before hitting out at the end. Sudharsan’s knock will please the management because No 3 has been a sticky spot for them. If the southpaw can showcase the same nous going forward, it will further enhance Gujarat’s chances of progressing in the tournament.
If the 20-year-old was the glue that held the innings together, Punjab’s Kagiso Rabada acted as the adhesive remover. The South African pacer is elite but not necessarily so in this format. He has frequently gone for plenty, especially at the death (economy of 9.38 at the death in IPL).
That aspect of his game was visible on Tuesday as well, Wriddhiman Saha, who plays the role of powerplay destroyer, took him for 20 runs (three fours and a six) off his first 10 deliveries. Then Rabada extracted additional bounce off the surface — a trait this surface had in abundance — to account for the ‘keeper. He then returned at the death to dismiss Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan off consecutive deliveries to derail the innings in some fashion.
If Punjab are to fashion an unlikely late season run to have a chance of making the playoffs, this version of Rabada has to lead from the front. He is their most experienced bowler but he has frequently been outbowled by the likes of Arshdeep Singh.
Brief Scores: Gujarat 143/8 in 20 overs (Sudharsan 65 n.o; Rabada 4/33) lost to Punjab 145/2 in 16 overs (Dhawan 62 n.o, Rajapaksa 40)
CHENNAI: Gujarat Titans have enjoyed chasing. Five matches. Five wins. Their middle-order (David Miller, Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia) averages 99.75, strikes at over 165, hits sixes in all areas against all bowlers and have been the side’s magic workers at the death under the lights.
But with qualification to the play-offs almost assured and a lot of spare games in the bank, Hardik Pandya wanted to test the battle-readiness of the franchise. So he became the first captain of the 2022 season to bat first in a night game.
Their opponents, Punjab Kings, would have killed to have been in such a state of mind. With their gung-ho approach in tatters after a series of largely underwhelming performances with both bat and ball, they needed a win to resuscitate their campaign.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Resuscitate they did with a commanding performance with bat and ball to pick up their fifth win of the season.
Considering the stakes, it was only apt that their bowlers belatedly came to the fore on a surface where scoring freely was proving to be a difficult proposition. That Gujarat managed to hit only two sixes was an indication of this. At one point of time during the first innings, even the ones and twos required the batters to improvise.
The passage of play, the six overs between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over summed up the first 20 overs in a microcosm: 13 dots, 18 singles, 2 wickets and one boundary. In the end, they limped to 143/8, their worst score of the season so far. Curiously, it was also the second most economical bowling display by Punjab.
Chasing down 144 was never going to be a problem even if Jonny Bairstow, promoted to open the batting, perished cheaply. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (40 off 28) provided the initial thrust before Liam Livingstone finished it off with 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4 in the 16th over to win the game with four overs and eight wickets to spare.
Coming back to the Gujarat innings, the target would have been smaller if not for Sai Sudharsan’s gritty, unbeaten 65 off 50 balls. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination but the Tamil Nadu man applied himself, dotted up even as wickets fell at the other end (he was 31 off 30 at one stage) before hitting out at the end. Sudharsan’s knock will please the management because No 3 has been a sticky spot for them. If the southpaw can showcase the same nous going forward, it will further enhance Gujarat’s chances of progressing in the tournament.
If the 20-year-old was the glue that held the innings together, Punjab’s Kagiso Rabada acted as the adhesive remover. The South African pacer is elite but not necessarily so in this format. He has frequently gone for plenty, especially at the death (economy of 9.38 at the death in IPL).
That aspect of his game was visible on Tuesday as well, Wriddhiman Saha, who plays the role of powerplay destroyer, took him for 20 runs (three fours and a six) off his first 10 deliveries. Then Rabada extracted additional bounce off the surface — a trait this surface had in abundance — to account for the ‘keeper. He then returned at the death to dismiss Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan off consecutive deliveries to derail the innings in some fashion.
If Punjab are to fashion an unlikely late season run to have a chance of making the playoffs, this version of Rabada has to lead from the front. He is their most experienced bowler but he has frequently been outbowled by the likes of Arshdeep Singh.
Brief Scores: Gujarat 143/8 in 20 overs (Sudharsan 65 n.o; Rabada 4/33) lost to Punjab 145/2 in 16 overs (Dhawan 62 n.o, Rajapaksa 40)
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Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan lead Punjab Kings to 8-wicket win over Gujarat Titans
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Gujarat Titans have enjoyed chasing. Five matches. Five wins. Their middle-order (David Miller, Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia) averages 99.75, strikes at over 165, hits sixes in all areas against all bowlers and have been the side’s magic workers at the death under the lights.
But with qualification to the play-offs almost assured and a lot of spare games in the bank, Hardik Pandya wanted to test the battle-readiness of the franchise. So he became the first captain of the 2022 season to bat first in a night game.
Their opponents, Punjab Kings, would have killed to have been in such a state of mind. With their gung-ho approach in tatters after a series of largely underwhelming performances with both bat and ball, they needed a win to resuscitate their campaign.
Resuscitate they did with a commanding performance with bat and ball to pick up their fifth win of the season.
Considering the stakes, it was only apt that their bowlers belatedly came to the fore on a surface where scoring freely was proving to be a difficult proposition. That Gujarat managed to hit only two sixes was an indication of this. At one point of time during the first innings, even the ones and twos required the batters to improvise.
The passage of play, the six overs between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over summed up the first 20 overs in a microcosm: 13 dots, 18 singles, 2 wickets and one boundary. In the end, they limped to 143/8, their worst score of the season so far. Curiously, it was also the second most economical bowling display by Punjab.
Chasing down 144 was never going to be a problem even if Jonny Bairstow, promoted to open the batting, perished cheaply. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (40 off 28) provided the initial thrust before Liam Livingstone finished it off with 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4 in the 16th over to win the game with four overs and eight wickets to spare.
Coming back to the Gujarat innings, the target would have been smaller if not for Sai Sudharsan’s gritty, unbeaten 65 off 50 balls. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination but the Tamil Nadu man applied himself, dotted up even as wickets fell at the other end (he was 31 off 30 at one stage) before hitting out at the end. Sudharsan’s knock will please the management because No 3 has been a sticky spot for them. If the southpaw can showcase the same nous going forward, it will further enhance Gujarat’s chances of progressing in the tournament.
If the 20-year-old was the glue that held the innings together, Punjab’s Kagiso Rabada acted as the adhesive remover. The South African pacer is elite but not necessarily so in this format. He has frequently gone for plenty, especially at the death (economy of 9.38 at the death in IPL).
That aspect of his game was visible on Tuesday as well, Wriddhiman Saha, who plays the role of powerplay destroyer, took him for 20 runs (three fours and a six) off his first 10 deliveries. Then Rabada extracted additional bounce off the surface — a trait this surface had in abundance — to account for the ‘keeper. He then returned at the death to dismiss Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan off consecutive deliveries to derail the innings in some fashion.
If Punjab are to fashion an unlikely late season run to have a chance of making the playoffs, this version of Rabada has to lead from the front. He is their most experienced bowler but he has frequently been outbowled by the likes of Arshdeep Singh.
Brief Scores: Gujarat 143/8 in 20 overs (Sudharsan 65 n.o; Rabada 4/33) lost to Punjab 145/2 in 16 overs (Dhawan 62 n.o, Rajapaksa 40)