Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has kicked off with the usual thrill and intensity, delivering the excitement and suspense that fans anticipate from one of cricket’s top tournaments. Punjab Kings (PBKS) got off to a strong start with a victory against Delhi Capitals (DC) but faced a tough setback against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Now, they are preparing for a vital match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as they aim to bounce back from their recent defeat.
The recent match between the ‘Punjab Shers’ and RCB showcased a blend of performances. It commenced well with captain Shikhar Dhawan showcasing his leadership with a commendable innings of 45 runs off 37 balls before departing. Sam Curran (23 runs in 17 balls, including three fours), Jitesh Sharma (27 runs in 20 balls, with one four and two sixes), and a fiery cameo from Shashank Singh (21* off eight balls, featuring four boundaries and two sixes) all contributed, allowing PBKS to post a competitive total of 176/6.
Despite a strong bowling effort, notably highlighted by Harpreet Brar’s exceptional performance, claiming two crucial wickets while conceding only 13 runs, Punjab’s efforts were not enough. This was primarily due to the impactful innings from Virat Kohli (77 runs off 59 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes) and Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten knock of 28 runs from just 10 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes. Ultimately, Punjab suffered a narrow defeat, falling short by four wickets with four balls remaining.
On the flip side, Lucknow Super Giants faced a setback in their inaugural match against the Rajasthan Royals. Their bowlers found it challenging to contain the opposition batsmen, allowing Sanju Samson (82 not out off 52 balls, comprising three fours and six sixes) and Riyan Parag (43 runs off 29 balls, including a four and three sixes) to dominate and set a formidable total of 193/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite commendable efforts from KL Rahul (58 runs off 44 balls, featuring four boundaries and two sixes) and Nicholas Pooran (64 not out off 41 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) with the bat, Lucknow fell short in their pursuit.
Looking at their head-to-head encounters, LSG holds the advantage, having won two out of the three matches played in the IPL so far. In their last face-off with PBKS, Lucknow set a formidable total of 257 runs, securing a victory by a significant margin of 56 runs.
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul(w/c), Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav, Prerak Mankad, Krishnappa Gowtham, Amit Mishra, David Willey, Kyle Mayers, Ashton Turner, Shivam Mavi, Manimaran Siddharth, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshad Khan, Shamar Joseph, Arshin Kulkarni
Punjab Kings Squad: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Tanay Thyagarajan, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Chris Woakes, Rishi Dhawan, Sikandar Raza, Ashutosh Sharma, Atharva Taide, Nathan Ellis, Shivam Singh, Prince Choudhary, Vishwanath Singh.