IPL 2022: Punjab Kings restrict Lucknow’s giant strides

Punjab Kings players celebrate a wicket yesterday. Pic/BCCI; IPL

A lot of importance is given to match-winners in the T20 format, and understandably so. But time and again, it's team effort that pulls a side out of a tricky situation, and Punjab Kings proved this against the Lucknow Super Giants during Friday's IPL-15 match at the MCA stadium here.

Rabada takes four

Put in to bat first, LSG were cruising at 98-1 at one stage, with the run-rate just under eight on a slow wicket. But Punjab took five wickets for just 11 runs in the next 13 balls to completely derail their opponents. As a result, Lucknow managed 153-8, much lesser than what they threatened earlier. Kagiso Rabada was Punjab's wrecker-in-chief with figures of 4-38.

At the time of going to press, Punjab were 67-3 after 10 overs.

Earlier, Lucknow were put in a strong position thanks to Quinton de Cock (46 off 37 balls, 4x4, 2x6) and Deepak Hooda Hooda's (34 off 28, 1x4, 2x6) second-wicket partnership of 85 runs off just 59 balls.

For the second consecutive game here, the Pune pitch didn't seem easy for stroke-play. Barring De Cock's massive six off Rabada over the mid-wicket fence, there were hardly any risks taken by the duo. They kept taking singles and twos, taking Lucknow to 67 for one at the half-way stage. They then changed gears, cracking 32 off the next three overs. Hooda began the assault, smashing Liam Livingstone over the long-on fence, as 15 runs came off the 11th over.

Excellent comeback

At 98-1 and with more than seven overs to go, Lucknow looked set to post an above-par total. But Punjab made an excellent comeback with some clever bowling and outstanding fielding. Jonny Bairstow running out Hooda with a direct hit from close to the mid-wicket fence, Livingstone taking a skier to dismiss Ayush Badoni, and Chahar diving full length to catch Marcus Stoinis off his own bowling being prime examples.