Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) started off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 campaign with a win in rain-interrupted encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Arshdeep Singh bowled beautifully as KKR lacked firepower in their top order and were too dependent on Andre Russell in the run chase. As a result, PBKS won the game by seven runs as per (DLS) method.
Top-order fails
KKR’s run chase got off to a good start. On-debut Afghan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit Sam Curran for a six and a four. Arshdeep struck with the first ball he bowled. Mandeep Singh got out after scoring just two runs. KKR took a gamble by sending Anukul Roy up the order but he became Arshdeep's second victim of his first over. In the fifth over, Gurbaz got knocked over by Nathan Ellis. The opener scored 22 runs from 16 balls including three fours and one six. Impact player Venkatesh Iyer got off to a good start with two boundaries. KKR were 46/3 after powerplay overs.
Wickets fall in middle overs
In the ninth over, skipper Nitish Rana and Iyer took on PBKS' impact player Rishi Dhawan as they scored 15 runs. On-debut Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza broke the partnership with the wicket of Rana who scored 24 runs from 17 balls including three fours and one six. Rinku Singh could not make an impact and lost his wicket to leg-spinner Rahul Chahar after scoring just four runs.
Rain dampens Russell's cameo
Andre Russell revived the run chase. He took on Ellis and got a reprieve as Prabhsimran Singh dropped his catch. In the next over, he decided to take on Curran and hit him for a six and a four. But Russell got out after scoring 35 runs from 19 deliveries including three fours and two sixes. Shardul Thakur got off the mark with a clean hit for a maximum. Arshdeep came back into the attack and got the wicket of Iyer. The impact player scored 34 runs from 28 balls including three fours and one six. Sunil Narine kept KKR’s hopes alive with a six off Arshdeep in the 16th over but rain played spoilsport. When the rain intervened, KKR were 146/7, seven runs behind the DLS par score. As rain did not stop, KKR lost the game by seven runs.
Solid start
Earlier, Dhawan won the toss and opted to bat first. Prabhsimran Singh hit a couple of fours and sixes but his cameo came to an end in the second over. Prabhsimran threw his wicket away as Tim Southee got the breakthrough. The opener scored 23 runs from 12 balls. In the fifth over Bhanuka Rajapaksa targetted Sunil Narine hitting the spinner for two fours and one six. After powerplay overs, PBKS were 56/1.
Rajapaksa hits fifty
Rajapaksa continued the onslaught and targetted Shardul Thakur. Dhawan anchored the innings from the other end. PBLS crossed the 100-run mark in the 10th over. Rajapaksa got to his half-century from just 30 balls. Umesh Yadav got the breakthrough with the Sri Lankan's wicket. Rajapaksa scored 50 runs from 32 balls including five fours and two sixes.
Kings finish well
Jitesh Sharma came out all guns blazing. He contributed with a cameo of 21 from 11 balls including one four and two sixes. Southee dismissed Jitesh in the 14th over. In the next over, Dhawan got bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy. Dhawan scored 40 off 29 balls including six fours. Raza hit a four and a six in his 13-ball 16 but became Narine's victim in the 18th over. Curran played a cameo of 26 from 17 balls. He had support from Shahrukh Khan who scored 11 runs from seven balls. The cameos helped PBKS post 191/5 on the board.
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