Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their winning streak in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as they bulldozed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by eight wickets at the Ekana cricket stadium on April 1, Tuesday.
PBKS condemns LSG to second defeat in IPL 2025
Batting first LSG posted a competitive total of 171/7 riding on Nicholas Pooran's 30-ball 44. In reply, Shreyas Iyer (52*) and Prabhsimran Singh's (69) fifties ensured PBKS seal the deal in just 16.2 overs without breaking much sweat.
PBKS will now take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 5 while LSG will face Mumbai Indians on April 4.
Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer's fifties take PBKS home
Priyansh Arya began the Punjab Kings' innings alongside Prabhsimran Singh, but his stay at the crease was short-lived. He was dismissed in an eventful manner by Digvesh Rathi.
Bowling a short delivery wide of the off-stump, Rathi enticed Arya into attempting a pull shot. However, with limited foot movement, the batsman mistimed his shot, resulting in a top-edge that soared high into the air. Shardul Thakur, positioned at mid-on, safely pouched the catch, sending Arya back to the dugout for a score of just 8 runs. While Rathi celebrated the wicket with a notebook gesture, the umpires cautioned him regarding his actions.
Despite the early loss of Arya, Prabhsimran Singh launched a fierce counter-attack at the other end, dominating the Lucknow Super Giants' bowling attack. He smashed a rapid 69 runs off a mere 34 deliveries, effectively bringing the required run rate under control. The Punjab Kings' batsmen were particularly aggressive against Ravi Bishnoi, scoring 43 runs off his three overs.
After Prabhsimran laid a strong foundation for Punjab, Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera ensured a comfortable finish for their team. Iyer continued his impressive form, scoring an unbeaten 52 off 30 balls, while Wadhera also displayed his attacking prowess, hitting an unbeaten 43 off 25 balls. The Kings successfully chased down the target in just 16.2 overs, securing a comprehensive 8-wicket victory over LSG thanks to a dominant performance with both bat and ball.
Arshdeep Singh stifles LSG batters
Earlier, Disciplined bowling performances from Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson played a crucial role in restricting LSG to a total of 171/7. After being asked to bat first, LSG found themselves in early trouble, struggling at 35 for three. However, resilient innings from Nicholas Pooran, who scored 44 runs, and Ayush Badoni, who contributed 41, along with a quickfire cameo of 27 runs from Abdul Samad, provided LSG with a total they could defend. Among the Punjab Kings bowlers, Arshdeep Singh stood out as the most successful, claiming three wickets.
Following PBKS's decision to bowl first after winning the toss, LSG endured a shaky start. Arshdeep Singh's clever change of pace resulted in the dismissal of the in-form Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck, leaving LSG at one wicket down for just one run in the first over.
In the third over, Aiden Markram looked to counter-attack for LSG, hitting Arshdeep Singh for three boundaries across the field. He continued his aggressive approach against Lockie Ferguson, scoring a four and a six over deep backward point. However, his promising innings was cut short when an inswinging delivery from Ferguson struck his stumps. Markram departed for a well-compiled 28 runs off 18 balls, which included four boundaries and a six, leaving LSG at 32 for two in the fourth over.
LSG skipper, Rishabh Pant, also had a brief stay at the crease. A mistimed pull shot off a Glenn Maxwell delivery resulted in Yuzi Chahal taking a catch at short fine leg, sending Pant back to the pavilion for just two runs. This setback left LSG struggling at 35 for three in 4.5 overs. The duo of Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni then managed to take LSG to 39 for three by the end of the powerplay, marking a disappointing start in front of their home crowd in Lucknow.
Pooran began to inject some momentum into the innings, hitting a couple of boundaries against Maxwell and then a six off the bowling of Marcus Stoinis. LSG reached their fifty-run mark in 7.1 overs.
In the 10th over, Pooran displayed aggressive intent against Yuzi Chahal, smashing two fours and two sixes, accumulating 15 runs in the over. This propelled LSG to 76 for three at the end of the first ten overs, with Pooran unbeaten on 33 and Badoni on 11.
A resilient counter-attacking partnership of fifty runs developed between Pooran and Badoni, coming in just 37 deliveries. However, Glenn Maxwell's sharp fielding resulted in a fine catch off a quick delivery from Chahal, bringing an end to Pooran's enterprising innings of 44 runs from 30 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes. LSG's score then stood at 89 for four in 11.3 overs. LSG reached the 100-run mark in the 13th over, courtesy of a six by Ayush Badoni over extra deep cover. His subsequent partnership with David Miller, who scored 19 runs off 18 balls with three boundaries, was short-lived. Miller was caught by Prabhsimran Singh off a Marco Jansen delivery after having hit some boundaries against the spin bowlers, leaving LSG at 119 for five in 15.5 overs.
The 18th over witnessed Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad accelerate the scoring, particularly against Arshdeep Singh. The pair managed to plunder runs, pushing LSG past the 150-run mark in 17.4 overs. Their aggressive approach yielded three boundaries and a six, resulting in a total of 20 runs from the over. However, Marco Jansen managed to stem the flow of runs in the penultimate over, conceding only eight.
Badoni's innings came to an end when he attempted a big shot but was caught by Glenn Maxwell. He departed after scoring a valuable 41 runs off 33 balls, which included one four and three sixes. LSG's score then stood at 166 for six in 19.2 overs. Abdul Samad's quickfire cameo was also cut short, with Priyansh Arya taking a catch to dismiss him for 27 runs off just 12 balls, an innings featuring two fours and two sixes. This dismissal left LSG at 169 for seven in 19.4 overs.