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Tag: Punjab Kings

  • Hope IPL stint will help me at T20 World Cup for South Africa: Punjab Kings batter Aiden Markram

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: South African batter Aiden Markram feels exposing himself to the high standard of cricket that the IPL offers will help him deal better with pressure situations in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

    Markram batted in six innings for Punjab Kings in this year’s IPL with a best score of 42. One of his innings stretched into the 17th over and two into the 16th in the IPL, something he might experience in the T20 showpiece even though he bats at the top of the order.

    “…It was a great experience.It was nice to be exposed to that at a high standard of cricket, and to learn on the job. To mingle with some seriously good players who do the IPL circuit post-game, chatting to guys who have done well, legends of T20 cricket, was good. It was nice to get some information from them and also to work things out for yourself in the middle of a game,” Markram said during a virtual press conference.

    Blessed with a textbook technique, he has opened the innings for South Africa and also batted at number three and four. For Punjab Kings, though, he also came in at number five. “In T20 cricket, at a World Cup or domestic or international series, results come down to the last three overs if not the last ball,” Markram said.

    “It was good to be exposed to that, because I’m sure games are going to go to the wire at the World Cup. It’s about dealing with that pressure in the moment when two to three balls could change the whole outcome of the game,” he added.

  • Punjab Kings beat CSK by six wickets

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League here on Thursday.

    CSK scored 134 for six against Punjab Kings after being put in to bat.

    Faf du Plessis top-scored for CSK with 76 off 55 balls while Arshdeep Singh and Chris Jordan impressed with the ball for Punjab, taking couple of wickets each.

    Punjab chased down the target comfortably with K L Rahul leading from the front and making an unbeaten 98 off 42 balls.

    Brief Scores:

    134/6 CSK in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 76; Ravi Bishnoi 1/25, Arshdeep Singh 2/35, Chris Jordan 2/20)

    Punjab Kings 139/4 in 13 overs (K L Rahul 98 not out; Shardul Thakur 3/28)

  • KL Rahul’s blistering knock in Punjab Kings’ consolation win against CSK

    By PTI

    DUBAI: KL Rahul saved his best for the last as his unbeaten 98 pff 42 balls, which for a change was full on intent quotient, helping Punjab Kings crush Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in an inconsequential IPL encounter on Thursday.

    Chasing 135 for victory, the Punjab team stormed to victory in 13 overs as the CSK skipper MS Dhoni could not find answers to stop Rahul’s onslaught.

    Skipper Rahul was on the attack from the word go, launching into the CSK bowlers.

    The stylish right-hander clobbered eight sixes to go with seven boundaries.

    He finished it in style with a big six off Shardul Thakur.

    The Punjab skipper had been panned for his approach in some of the earlier matches where he dragged the game deep but Punjab Kings failed to finish on the winning side.

    Rahul’s strike-rate had been panned often during this edition and finally the flair was back in his batting.

    Alas, it came when the horse has bolted the door.

    Thakur picked three wickets for 28 runs in three to be CSK’s best bowler on a day when the other bowlers including Deepak Chahar (1/48 from 4 overs), Josh Hazlewood (0 for 22 in 3 overs) and Dwayne Bravo (0/32 in 2 overs) looked clueless in the face of Rahul’s stylish onslaught.

    Rahul kept hitting boundaries and sixes at will even as the other batters didn’t come up with any meaningful contribution.

    Anything on his legs was whipped between fine leg and mid-wicket with utter disdain.

    The skipper and Mayank Agarwal (12) put on 46 in just 4.3 overs before he dominated another partnership with Shahrukh Khan (8) for the third wicket, adding 34 runs in four overs.

    None of the CSK bowlers was able to stop a marauding Rahul as Punjab Kings went on the offensive in a bid to win quickly and boost their net run-rate.

    Despite the easy win, Punjab’s NRR did not go past fourth-placed Kolkata Knight Riders with both teams on 12 with the latter set to play later in the night.

    Earlier, Punjab Kings limited Chennai Super Kings to 134 for 6 despite Faf du Plessis’ 76 off 55 balls.

    The CSK score was largely due to the fighting half-century by veteran South African player du Plessis and the 26 runs in the last two overs.

    None of the other CSK players crossed 15-run mark.

    For Punjab, leggie Ravi Bishnoi impressed in a spell of 4-0-25-1 which included the scalp of CSK captain M S Dhoni while Arshdeep Singh (2/35) and Chris Jordan (2/20) did a good job for Punjab.

    Du Plessis waged a lone battle, ensuring that the Punjab bowlers did not run away with the game with a hard-working half-century.

    The 18th over saw him hit two boundaries off Jordan’s third over as CSK continued the attempt to cobble up a respectable score.

    The South African hit two more sixes, one off Arshdeep and one off Mohammad Shami in the final over to give a much-needed push to the CSK innings towards the end.

    Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 15 (17 balls, 1 six).

    That only 30 runs came in the powerplay indicated the CSK batters’ difficulty in getting Shami & Co away.

    Coupled with the regular loss of wickets, the three-time champions crawled to 50 in the 10th over.

    Shami, in particular, was hard to get away.

    His first spell of three was brilliant, as he conceded only six runs.

    Left-arm pacer Arshdeep continued to impress and got the wickets of the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad (12, 14 balls, 1 four) and Moeen Ali (0).

    Gaikwad hit one four before he top-edged an attempted pull of Arshdeep to give Shahrukh Khan on the leg-side an easy catch.

    Moeen, who was in good nick in the first phase in India, failed to trouble the scorers, edging one to Rahul to give Arshdeep his second scalp.

    Robin Uthappa, who replaced Suresh Raina in the playing XI, failed to make an impression, falling for just 2.

    His attempted pull off Jordan saw Harpreet Brar take a very good catch at deep-square leg.

    Brief Scores:

    134/6 CSK in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 76; Ravi Bishnoi 1/25, Arshdeep Singh 2/35, Chris Jordan 2/20)

    Punjab Kings 139/4 in 13 overs (K L Rahul 98 not out; Shardul Thakur 3/28)

  • Punjab Kings restrict Chennai Super Kings to 134 for 6

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Punjab Kings limited Chennai Super Kings to 134 for 6 despite Faf du Plessis’ 76 off 55 balls in their final IPL league match here on Thursday.

    The CSK score was largely due to the fighting half-century by veteran South African player du Plessis and the 26 runs in the last two overs.

    For Punjab, leggie Ravi Bishnoi impressed in a spell of 4-0-25-1 which included the scalp of CSK captain M S Dhoni while Arshdeep Singh (2/35) and Chris Jordan (2/20) did a good job for Punjab.

    Du Plessis waged a lone battle, ensuring that the Punjab bowlers did not run away with the game with a hard-working half-century.

    The 18th over saw him hit two boundaries off Jordan’s third over as CSK continued the attempt to cobble up a respectable score.

    The South African hit two more sixes, one off Arshdeep and one off Mohammad Shami in the final over to give a much-needed push to the CSK innings towards the end.

    Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 15 (17 balls, 1 six).

    That only 30 runs came in the powerplay indicated the CSK batters’ difficulty in getting Shami & Co away.

    Coupled with the regular loss of wickets, the three-time champions crawled to 50 in the 10th over.

    Shami, in particular, was hard to get away.

    His first spell of three was brilliant, as he conceded only six runs.

    Left-arm pacer Arshdeep continued to impress and got the wickets of the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad (12, 14 balls, 1 four) and Moeen Ali (0).

    Gaikwad hit one four before he top-edged an attempted pull of Arshdeep to give Shahrukh Khan on the leg-side an easy catch.

    Moeen, who was in good nick in the first phase in India, failed to trouble the scorers, edging one to Rahul to give Arshdeep his second scalp.

    Robin Uthappa, who replaced Suresh Raina in the playing XI, failed to make an impression, falling for just 2.

    His attempted pull off Jordan saw Harpreet Brar take a very good catch at deep-square leg.

    Dhoni, who has been struggling for form, made 12 before a drive away from his body off Bishnoi’s googly took the inside edge and rolled on to the stumps to compound CSK’s problems.

  • Punjab Kings wins toss, elects to bowl against Chennai Super Kings

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul won the toss and elected to bowl against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match here on Thursday.

    Punjab made one change to their side, bringing in Chris Jordan in place of West Indian batter Nicholas Pooran Chennai Super Kings, who have qualified for the play-offs and are aiming to seal a top two finish, chose to retain the same XI that played in the previous game against Delhi Capitals.

    Teams:

    Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (captain, WK), Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood

    Punjab Kings: K L Rahul (captain, WK), Mayank Agarwal, Aiden Markram, Sarfaraz Khan, M Shahrukh Khan, Moises Henriques, Chris Jordan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd Shami, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh

  • I see new IPL teams going for Rs 3000-4000 crore: Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia feels Rs 2000 crore base price for two new IPL teams is a conservative number which should go up by 50 to 100 per cent during bidding. The new franchises will be announced on October 25, making the IPL a 10-team affair.

    Speaking to PTI, Wadia said the addition of the teams will lead to appreciation of the IPL’s value as well as the existing franchises.

    “The minimum base price is Rs 2000 crore at the moment, it will go for quite a lot more. Based on my little experience and knowledge of the IPL, 2000 is very conservative and I wouldn’t be surprised if it went up a minimum of 50 to 100 percent more than that. I would expect at least Rs 3000 crore plus. Everyone wants to be a part of IPL but only a handful can be a part of it,” said Wadia.

    Asked if there are concerns that the existing teams might have with the addition of more outfits, Wadia said: “There are no concerns at all. It is good that two new teams are being introduced.I also feel IPL is a premium product and with the limited number of teams, the value of all the franchises will go up after the addition of new franchises. Bringing in 10 teams will bring more width and depth to the IPL.”

    “There have been eight teams for majority of the IPL history and and after this, I don’t see more teams coming into the league for at least five to seven years. It will be very good for the broadcasters also. I see it as a big positive,” he said.

    Wadia feels new teams will also make the IPL a stronger product. “IPL is the jewel in the crown of the BCCI and therefore the jewel will get the right value. Since there can only be two new teams, then automatically the value of existing franchises also goes up. It is a closed league and the beauty of today is that you have a fixed asset which not only gives you appreciation, on a yearly basis, but also consistent yearly revenue,” he said.

    “You have got money coming in, approximately Rs 250 to 300 crore a year, and that is the inflow coming into your pocket apart from the appreciation of the asset. It is a like a building in a prime location and all around you people are developing, so value of your asset goes up too,” he added.

    The new entrants will naturally be looking for star Indian players to be their face. The mega auction before the 2022 season will see many India and foreign stars go back to the auction pool.

    Referring to retention of players and the right to match card, Wadia hoped the BCCI will make it fair for all participants. “I don’t know what (BCCI is planning for the auction). Whatever is done should be fair and equitable to the new teams coming in as well as the existing teams,” he said.

    The IPL has also been expanding its wings overseas, mainly in the CPL where three teams — St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobagao and Barbados — are owned by IPL owners. Punjab Kings own the St Lucia franchise.

    Wadia won’t be surprised if more IPL owners follow the same path. “It benefits cricket and I am happy that three IPL team owners are involved and that will extend to other teams sooner than later. It all depends on the opportunity. We were looking at CPL for a while, when we felt it made business sense to invest in it, we did,” he added.

  • Emergence of young domestic bowlers a big positive for Punjab Kings: KL Rahul

    Punjab Kings suffered another defeat on Sunday, losing to RCB by six runs, which leaves them dependent on other results to make it to the playoffs.

  • Royal Challengers Bangalore win toss, opt to bat first against Punjab Kings 

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat in their Indian Premier League game against Punjab Kings here on Sunday.

    RCB have decided to field an unchanged XI from their last game against Rajasthan Royals.

    Punjab Kings made three changes from their game against Kolkata Knight Riders, Harpreet Brar, Sarfaraz Khan and Moises Henriques coming in for Fabian Allen, Deepak Hooda and Nathan Ellis.

    Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Daniel Christian, George Garton, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

    Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (capt & wk), Mayank Agarwal, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Sarfaraz Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Moises Henriques, Harpreet Brar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.

  • Maxwell, Chahal star in RCB’s passage into IPL play-off with 6-run win over Punjab Kings

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Glenn Maxwell smashed 57 and then Yuzvendra Chahal spun a web around Punjab Kings as they once again bungled a chase allowing Royal Challengers Bangalore book a play-off berth with a six-run victory in an IPL game on Sunday.

    Maxwell’s 34-ball-57 propelled Punjab Kings to 164 for 7 which is the highest team total in Sharjah this season and then Chahal owned the middle-overs with another game-changing spell of 3/29 which saw KL Rahul’s team finish at 158 for 6.

    With 16 points from 12 games, RCB thus became the third team after Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals to make it to the last four stage.

    Punjab Kings with 10 points from 13 games can reach 12 points but with a net run-rae of -0.

    241 and having played one match more than Rajasthan Royals (10 points), Mumbai Indians (10 points) and KKR (10 points before evening game), they are all but out of the competition.

    It was another close match that Punjab Kings couldn’t finish off and their skipper Rahul needs to take a lot of responsibility as his 39 off 35 balls did more damage than help to his teams cause.

    Match after match, Rahul has been taking the game deep and then frittering away the advantage after which, the below-par middle-order of Punjab Kings, arguably the worst in this edition is bungling up big time.

    Punjab Kings were 91 for no loss in the 11th over before Rahul’s indiscreet shot selection trying to hit left-arm spinner Sahbaz Ahmed against turn changed the course of the match.

    His opening partner Mayank Agarwal (57 off 42 balls) was more attacking but was fooled by Chahal’s cleve variation of pace as he top edged a sweep shot.

    Nicholas Pooran (less than 100 runs in 11 games) probab;y is the luckiest player to get one chance after the other and played another rash sweep shot off a tossed up Chahal delivery and a distinctly overweight Sarfaraz Khan, was fooled by a conventional leg-break.

    Punjab needed 27 runs from the last two overs and Mohammed Siraj (0/33 in 4 overs) bowled an impressive penultimate over to bring down the equation to 19 runs off the final over and Harshal Patel (0/27 in 4 overs) defended well by taking the pace off his deliveries.

    Earlier, Glenn Maxwell’s six-hitting prowess was on display as his 33-ball 57 propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore to a challenging 164 for 7 in their Indian Premier League game against Punjab Kings here on Sunday.

    Opting to bat, RCB suffered a middle order collapse after openers Devdutt Padikkal (40; 38 balls, 4×4; 2×6) and Virat Kohli (25; 24 balls, 2×4; 1×6) added 68 runs for the first wicket.

    But Maxwell, who is in the midst of one of his best IPL seasons, hit four sixes and three fours, to complete 50 off 29 balls.

    He and AB De Villiers (23 off 18 balls; 1×4; 2×6), the two best T20 batters, conjured 73 runs for the fourth wicket and brought their side back on track.

    Kohli started with a four, while Padikkal hammered Arshdeep Singh (0/42 in 3 overs) for a back-to-back six, over deep mid-wicket and a boundary, an elegant cut, in the third over, in which RCB fetched 13 runs.

    Padikkal then launched into leggie Ravi Bishnoi (0/35 in 4 overs), striking two boundaries, in similar fashion, over his head.

    Kohli, who got a reprieve in the fifth over as young Sarfaraz Khan, dropped a tough chance at short-mid wicket, then was in his element.

    The duo tore into the Punjab Kings attack, as they raced to 55/0 after Powerplay.

    In the eight over, Padikkal was given not out, despite a wiggle, which was seen off his glove, by the third umpire, off Bishnoi.

    But Punjab pegged back RCB by picking three quick wickets, all by Moises Henriques (3/12 in 4 overs).

    He first cleaned up Kohli and off the next ball forced Dan Christian, to give a regulation catch to Sarfaraz Khan.

    Henriques then dismissed Padikkal, who nicked one to Rahul, as RCB was tottering at 73/3.

    Maxwell then too charge and took theteam past 160-run mark.

    PTI NRB KHS KHS KHS 10031948 NNNN

  • If we learn to handle pressure better, we will be among top teams: Rahul

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Punjab Kings skipper K L Rahul says his team can make the IPL play-offs consistently if it learns to handle pressure better and not lose games from commanding positions.

    Punjab Kings, who tend to snatch defeat from jaws of victory, beat Kolkata Knight Riders here on Friday to keep their play-off hopes alive.

    “I’ll take the two points,” said Rahul at the post-match presentation when asked about his side being part of another tense finishes.

    KKR made 165 for seven and Punjab got home with three balls to spare.

    “We played it smartly. Realised it was a decent wicket and can’t experiment too much. We went slightly defensive with the ball. There wasn’t much spin and wanted to make the batters hit to the bigger side.”

    “With the bat also we’ve given clear roles to the players. Obviously we want to finish games. The win will give us confidence and hopefully we’ll build on it,” said Rahul who scored a match-winning 67.

    Rahul had to leave out spinner Harpreet Brar who has done well for the team.

    “These are things that kill me as a captain. Don’t want to leave out the Indian boys. With a heavy heart had to leave Harpreet out. Had to see what would be our best XI with Chris (Gayle) leaving the bubble.”

    He also praised Shahrukh Khan who finished the game for Punjab.

    “Shahrukh has been batting brilliantly in the nets. Saw how strong he is in the first phase. He’s asking a lot of questions and wanting to finish games.

    “Today he played proper cricket shots, got a few boundaries and we all know he can hit the ball a long way. He can finish games, has done it for Tamil Nadu.”

    Asked about the play-off changes, he added: “Often we’ve put too much pressure on ourselves. Everybody knows we are a far better team. Putting too much pressure on ourselves is not helping. Every game we’ve fought till the end.”

    “If we can handle pressure, we will be among the top teams,” he added.

    KKR skipper Eoin Morgan said fielding let them down.

    “Initially we didn’t field that well, we put catches down, myself early and other guys. It has cost us. When the game gets that tight towards the end, extra few wickets down would have helped us. Equally I thought we fought hard, batted really well and probably had a par score.”

    Talking about Rahul Tripathi’s catch of the Punjab skipper in the 19th over not being adjudged clean by the third unpire, Morgan said: “I thought in real time it was out.”

    “Obviously when you slow things down and analyse it. That the third umpire thought otherwise and his decision is made, that’s final and we need to get on with it.”

    “But it would have been nice if we had got that wicket. I think everyone that went out there found it difficult to get going initially, it was not an easy wicket to start on. But after having a strong 13-14 overs we didn’t capitalize on that platform.”

    Opener Venkatesh Iyer was among the runs again and has been the find of the season for KKR.

    “He’s a real find for us, has been with us the whole campaign and we have watched him in practice. Above all his attitude is fantastic for a guy that plays fearlessly as he does with the bat.”

    “He takes a lot of responsibility with the ball, Dre Russ leaves a huge gap in the all-rounder position for us but to have someone come in and contribute is really outstanding.”

    “We have played some great cricket in the second half and have some positives to take away from tonight as well. Two more games to go, we will fight hard and hopefully get a couple of good results and be in the Play-offs,” he added.