Arshdeep Singh ran riot with the ball and helped Punjab Kings start their Indian Premier League 2023 campaign on a high with a crucial 7-run win via DLS method over Kolkata Knight Riders at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Arshdeep brought his A-game on the table with the ball and claimed three crucial wickets in his three overs as KKR failed to put up a fight in the chase. The two-time IPL champions lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase while the rain was the final nail in the coffin for them. They were 146/7 in 16 overs when the rain stopped play and there was no scope for resumption.
Chasing the big target, KKR were off to a horrible start as opener Mandeep Singh was dismissed for just 2 in the second over. The visitors promoted Anukul Roy to the number 3 spot but the move failed the left-handed batter was also dismissed in the same over and became the second victim of Arshdeep after hitting a boundary. Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz failed to convert the start into a big score and was dismissed for 22. He charged down the ground in the search of a boundary as Nathan Ellis hit the timber.
IPL 2023 PBKS vs KKR Highlights
KKR used Venkatesh Iyer as their Impact Player as he replaced off-spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the second innings. Iyer scored a valiant 34 runs off 28 balls but it was not enough for KKR.
Nitish Rana on his first match as KKR skipper failed to create an impact and was dismissed for 24. Punjab kept taking wickets at regular intervals to put pressure on KKR batters. However, they felt a bit of pressure when Andre Russell entered the pitch. The Caribbean power-hitter smashed 35 runs off 19 balls which was laced with 3 fours and two sixes.
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However, Sam Curran, the most expensive player in IPL history, got the better of Russell and KKR lost the way after that as Venkatesh also became the victim of Arshdeep Singh.
Sunil Narine and Shardul Thakur connected a six each but KKR were 7 runs short of the target when the rain played spoilsport for the visitors.
Rahul Chahar and Sikandar Raza also claimed a wicket each to hurt KKR in the chase.
Earlier, Punjab Kings was asked to bat first and Prabhsimran Singh scored a quickfire 23 runs to set the tone for the home side. While Shikhar Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa carried it forward after his departure.
Dhawan shared an 86-run stand for the second with Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa to set up the foundation of a big total. Punjab dominated the first half of the innings with aggressive batting and looked primed to cross 200, but Kolkata Knight Riders managed to pull things back in control with regular wickets after a sturdy association between Rajapaksa and Dhawan.
The left-handed Sri Lankan Rajapaksa made the most of wrong lines bowled to him by KKR bowlers, racing to the first half-century for PBKS in the 16th edition of IPL however he departed right after that. While Dhawan was dismissed on 40.
For KKR, Chakravarthy (4-0-26-1) and Yadav (4-0-27-1) were the pick among the bowlers but the overseas pair of Southee (4-0–54-2) and Narine (4-0-40-1) and India’s Shardul Thakur (4-0-43-0) were expensive.
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