Punjab Kings batter Sikandar Raza celebrates his half century through the IPL 2023 cricket match between Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings in Lucknow on April 15, 2023. Punjab Kings received the match by two wickets.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Punjab Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by two wickets of their Indian Premier League match in Lucknow on April 15.
Invited to bat, Lucknow Super Giants posted 159 for 8 with captain Ok.L. Rahul top-scoring with 74 off 56 balls.
Punjab Kings chased down the goal with three balls to spare.
Sikandar Raza was the best scorer for Punjab Kings with 57 whereas Matthew Short chipped in with 34 as they reached 161 for 8 in 19.3 overs.
For LSG, Yudhvir Singh, Mark Wood and Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Rahul smashed his first fifty of this IPL season however Punjab Kings roared again with well timed wickets to limit his facet Lucknow Super Kings to a modest 159 for eight right here on April 15.
On a two-paced wicket, Rahul displayed nice composure and abilities en route his 56-ball 74 as he added 53 and 48 runs with Kyle Mayers (29) and Krunal Pandya (18) for the primary and third wickets respectively.
The 30-year-old from Bangalore additionally grew to become the quickest batter to achieve to 4000 runs within the IPL, attaining the feat in his one hundred and fifth innings, surpassing West Indies’ Chris Gayle (112 innings).
However, LSG couldn’t end issues with a flourish as they misplaced 4 wickets for 48 runs within the final 5 overs.
Invited to bat, Rahul and Mayers supplied LSG a flying begin with the burly left-handed West Indian being the aggressor initially.
While Rahul dealt in boundaries, scoring three fours, Mayers dealt in maximums.
Mayers blasted Mathew Short over deep backward sq. leg and adopted it up with a backward punch for one more six over covers off Sam Curran.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada was then deposited into the stands with ease as LSG raced away to 40 for no loss within the powerplay.
With the pitch providing a little bit of grip and switch, Sam Curran, who led PBKS instead of an injured Shikhar Dhawan, introduced within the spinners.
Left-arm tweaker Harpreet Brar quickly eliminated the dangerous-looking Mayers, who was holed out to deep backward sq. leg within the eighth over, whereas Sikandar Raza trapped Deepak Hooda (2) as LSG slipped to 62 for 2.
Rahul then mixed with Pandya to take LSG previous the 100-mark earlier than Rabada returned to dismiss the latter within the fifteenth over.
Two balls later, star of final match Nicholas Pooran too fell whereas in search of a giant hit with Shahrukh Khan taking the catch.
Marcus Stoinis, nonetheless, bought going from the beginning, slamming Rahul Chahar for back-to-back sixes, whereas Rahul then lower Rabada for a most over deep level as LSG reached 138 for 4 in 17 overs.
However, the hosts didn’t get the ultimate push as Curran earned the wicket of Stoinis after successful a video referral following a faint nick off the batter’s gloves.
Arshdeep Singh then struck together with his knuckle ball, eradicating Rahul, who was holed out at long-on, whereas Shahrukh Khan as soon as once more picked up a well-judged catch to do away with Yudhvir Singh.
Brief scores
Lucknow Super Giants: 159 for 8 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 74; Sam Curran 3/31, Kyle Mayers 2/34).
Punjab Kings: 161 for 8 in 19.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 57; Yudhvir Singh 2/19, Ravi Bishnoi 2/18).
