A powerful batting display from the Punjab Kings (PBKS), highlighted by Prabhsimran Singh’s commanding innings, saw them set a formidable target of 236 for 5 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Dharamsala.
Prabhsimran was the catalyst of the PBKS innings, contributing 91 runs off just 48 balls. The explosive start from Prabhsimran included 34 boundaries, which left the Lucknow bowlers struggling. Shreyas Iyer, commenting on the toss decision, expressed confidence in his team’s abilities, saying, he was “up for the competition.”
Prabhsimran showcased his aggressive approach by attacking most of his early deliveries. He had an early reprieve when he was dropped by Nicholas Pooran, a chance which could have seen him dismissed for 22. Instead, he reached his third consecutive fifty in the IPL, a notable feat given he had only four fifty-plus scores prior.
His innings, however, wasn’t without its pauses. Upon reaching 45 off 24 balls, his scoring rate slowed slightly, before he accelerated in style with 38 off his final 13 balls. His performance set the tone for the rest of the PBKS lineup, with batters following his lead. Consistently, new batters hit boundaries shortly after arriving at the crease, keeping the momentum with PBKS.
Shreyas Iyer continued to impress with his improved form, boasting an increased strike rate of 163 compared to 125 in previous seasons, alongside a stronger average. His improvement has clearly contributed to the team’s success.
On the bowling front for LSG, Mayank Yadav endured a difficult outing, conceding 60 runs in four overs, equalling the most expensive figures for an LSG bowler in the IPL. Avesh Khan’s costly 19th over, leaking 26 runs, and Digvesh Rathi’s continued struggles were indicative of LSG’s current bowling challenges.
As LSG seeks to find their stride, attention will be on their top order to drive their response, as PBKS continues the season with confidence, thanks largely to Prabhsimran’s star performance.
