Punjab Kings took on Kolkata Knight Riders in a thrilling match in Mohali on Saturday. In a rain-affected match, Punjab Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs (DLS) to claim their first victory of the season.
PBKS Innings:
The match got off to a great start for Punjab Kings, thanks to a quick-fire half-century from Bhanuka Rajapaksa and a solid 40 from Shikhar Dhawan. The pair put together a big partnership to lay a strong foundation of 86 runs for the second wicket. However, KKR hit back with quick blows, including the early exit of Prabhsimran Singh.
Punjab Kings kept going strong, with Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza adding crucial runs to help the team reach a challenging total of 191/5 in 20 overs.
On the other hand, the KKR bowlers have had a tough day on the field. New Zealand speedster Tim Southee, has been the most expensive, conceding 54 runs and claiming two wickets in his spell. Sunil Narine has also been under pressure, giving away 40 runs for just one wicket, while Shardul Thakur has failed to pick up any wickets, conceding 43 runs.
KKR Innings:
KKR got off to a shaky start, losing early wickets, but Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana led a solid recovery for the team. However, their partnership was eventually broken by Sikandar Raza, and KKR struggled to keep up with the required run rate.
Arshdeep Singh bowled an excellent over, taking two wickets to get rid of Mandeep Singh and Anukul Roy before Nathan Ellis struck as well in his first over, leaving KKR in trouble. Andre Russell struck a quick 35, but his dismissal by Curran dented KKR’s hopes before the rain arrived.
All in all, it was a great start to the season for both teams, with Punjab Kings coming out on top in a thrilling encounter. Fans will be eagerly looking forward to the next match as these two exciting teams continue to battle it out in the IPL 2023.