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The Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by two wickets in yesterday’s 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Bowling first after winning the toss, Punjab held Lucknow to 159/8 as stand-in skipper Sam Curran starred with 3/31. Sikandar Raza then struck a brilliant half-century before a cameo from Shahrukh Khan (23* off 10) took PBKS to victory in 19.3 overs.
PBKS got off to a poor start in the chase as Yudhvir Singh Charak won the battle of the debutants, having Atharva Taide (0) caught at third man in the first over. Matthew Short struck Avesh Khan for three fours in the second over, but Charak knocked over Prabhsimran Singh (4).
Matthew Short’s impressive knock ended on 34 off 22 as he chipped Krishnappa Gowtham to mid-off. Harpreet Singh (22) dragged Krunal Pandya to deep backward square leg to put Punjab in further trouble. However, Raza played a fantastic innings to keep PBKS in the hunt.
After lofting Gowtham over long-off for a maximum, he took on Krunal and clubbed him for two sixes and a four in the 13th over. He reached his maiden IPL fifty off 34 balls but was dismissed in the 18th over for 57 off 41 balls, caught at deep backward square leg off Ravi Bishnoi’s bowling.
The equation came down to 20 off the last two overs. Shahrukh top-edged the second delivery from Mark Wood for a maximum over the keeper’s head. Harpreet Brar (6) then dispatched a four through the off-side before being caught behind.
Shahrukh struck the winning boundary in the last over, thumping Bishnoi to long-off.
LSG held to 159/8 despite KL Rahul’s 74
Lucknow skipper KL Rahul top-scored for his team with 74 off 56 balls, but Punjab’s bowlers combined to restrict the opposition to under 160.
Rahul and Kyle Mayers (29 off 23) added 53 for the first wicket. But once the stand was broken, LSG lost their way even as Rahul held one end up.
Deepak Hooda (2) was trapped lbw by a skidder from Raza. Krunal (18) was brilliantly held by Shahrukh on the ropes off Rabada’s bowling. Nicholas Pooran (0) got a caught-behind decision overturned to a wide but fell off the very next ball, miscuing Rabada to deep midwicket. Marcus Stoinis was caught behind off Curran for 15 off 11 via smart use of the DRS.
Lucknow’s hopes of putting up a good total suffered a big blow when Rahul holed out to long-on off Arshdeep Singh. Curran helped himself to two wickets in the last over, which produced only seven.
LSG vs PBKS: Who Won Player of the Match in yesterday's IPL 2023 match?
Stand-in captain Curran impressed for PBKS with three wickets, while Rabada also chipped in with two crucial scalps. Raza put up a fine all-round effort, claiming one wicket and scoring a stroke-filled half-century.
Shahrukh also had a memorable outing. He took a couple of excellent catches and rounded off the game with a match-winning cameo.
For LSG, skipper Rahul contributed a valiant half-century, while Charak, Wood and Bishnoi claimed two wickets apiece.
Raza was named the Player of the Match for his fine all-round effort.
