IPL 2021: Jason Holder's Heroics in Vain as Punjab Kings Beat SRH in Thriller

Sent in to bat first, Punjab Kings didn’t get the best of the starts with only 26 runs scored in four overs. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struggled to time the ball. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Rahul’s (21) sluggish stay at the crease came to an end when he flicked straight to mid-wicket off Jason Holder’s first ball of the match in the fifth over. On the fifth ball, Holder had his second wicket as Agarwal (5) chipped a drive straight to mid-off. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Chris Gayle’s (14) quiet time at the crease ended with Rashid Khan getting one to turn in, trapping him lbw in the eleventh over. Nicholas Pooran (8) slammed Sandeep Sharma for a six over deep mid-wicket. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

But Sharma’s slower delivery next up saw Pooran getting into the hoick early and went straight back to the bowler off the toe-end of the bat, grabbing the catch on second attempt. Punjab Kings could manage only a meagre 125/7 in 20 overs. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Punjab Kings bowled well as SRH kept losing timely wickets. None of their stars, including Kane Williamson and David Warner stood upto the challenge of chasing a decent total on a sluggish pitch; they were reduced to 10/2 in the third over. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Jason Holder came into bat when SRH was at 60/5. He set up the chase beautifully, taking singles and then changing gears when it mattered the most. He remained unbeaten at 47 off 29 balls. He had earlier bowled well and took 3 wickets for 19 runs. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

The only blip on Holder performance was — that he was involved in a run out with Wriddhiman Saha. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Young Ravi Bishnoi took full use of the pitch to register figures of 3/24. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Defending 13 in the final over, Nathan Ellis, debutante for Punjab, bowled an excellent over. He gave away a six on the very first ball, only to come back really strong. He suffocated Holder in the next two deliveries, giving nothing away. (Image: IPL/BCCI)

SRH needed 7 off last ball which meant a six would have forced a super over. However, Ellis made sure tie breaker was averted. With this loss, however, SRH IPL 2021 is all but over. (Image: IPL/BCCI)