Punjab Kings 209 for 9 (Livingstone 70, Bairstow 66, Harshal 4-34) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 155 for 9 (Maxwell 35, Patidar 26, Rabada 3-21) by 54 runs
Punjab Kings gave their playoffs possibilities a giant increase with a thumping 54-run over Royal Challengers Bangalore on the Brabourne stadium. With 12 factors from as many video games, Kings at the moment are sixth on the factors desk, their web run price being marginally decrease than that of fifth-positioned Delhi Capitals.
Royal Challengers’ bowling card made for fascinating studying. Wanindu Hasaranga conceded simply 15 from his 4 overs and picked up two wickets. Harshal Patel bowled the tough overs on the loss of life and nonetheless completed with 4 for 34 from his 4. On the opposite hand, Josh Hazlewood registered figures of 4-0-64-0.
In response, Royal Challengers misplaced Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Mahipal Lomror throughout the first 5 overs. Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar tried to revive the chase however their efforts proved futile. And when Arshdeep Singh dismissed Dinesh Karthik for a run-a-ball 11, it was throughout.
Bairstow’s 21-ball fifty units the tone
Coming into this recreation, Bairstow had 136 runs in eight innings at a median of 17 and a strike price of 117.24 in IPL 2022. But right here he teed off proper from the beginning. He chipped Maxwell for a straight six within the opening over earlier than biffing Hazlewood twice over deep midwicket. By the tip of three overs, he had raced to 34 off 12 balls with 4 sixes.
Maxwell removed Shikhar Dhawan however Bairstow took aside Mohammed Siraj within the final over of the powerplay, hitting him for 3 sixes and a 4. Bairstow introduced up his half-century off simply 21 balls, his quickest in T20 cricket, as Kings reached 83 for 1 after six overs.
Hasaranga, Shahbaz apply brakes
After a blazing begin, Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed pulled issues again considerably. Hasaranga dismissed Bhanuka Rajapaksa within the seventh, the batter slicing a tossed up googly to quick third man. Soon after, Bairstow miscued one in opposition to Shahbaz and was taken at cowl-level. From overs 7 to 11, Kings scored solely 25 for the lack of two wickets. But their fast begin meant the run price was nonetheless hovering round ten.
Livingstone tees off
After scoring solely 14 off his first 14 balls, Livingstone jumped out to Shahbaz and smashed him for a straight six. In the spinner’s subsequent over, he picked up a 4 with a reverse sweep earlier than launching a large hit over lengthy-on.
However, Mayank Agarwal, who got here in at No. 5, struggled to get going. Eventually, Harshal dismissed him with an offcutter for a laboured 19 off 16 balls. Hasaranga then got here again to choose up Jitesh Sharma, as soon as once more with a googly, earlier than Harshal despatched again Harpreet Brar.
But there was no stopping Livingstone. In the nineteenth over, he received caught into Hazlewood, hitting him for 2 sixes and two fours in a 23-run over. Harshal conceded solely 4 from the ultimate over however Livingstone’s assault meant Kings completed with a frightening whole.
Royal Challengers lose early wickets
For a second, it regarded like Kohli was again in type. In the second over of the chase, he drove Arshdeep to the quilt boundary earlier than whipping him by way of midwicket for 4 extra. In the following over, he skipped down the bottom to Harpreet Brar and lofted him over deep midwicket.
Maxwell, Patidar attempt to revive the chase
After taking part in out a few overs, Maxwell and Patidar took Chahar on within the eighth over of the chase. Maxwell began by hitting a reverse-swept 4. Patidar joined in with a six over midwicket earlier than Maxwell wrapped up the over with swap-hit six over further-cowl.
In the following over, Patidar hit Brar for a six and 4 off successive balls. At the midway stage, Royal Challengers had been 95 for 3, needing one other 115 from the final ten overs.
But Chahar and Brar did not take lengthy to strike again. With the longer boundary on the leg facet, Chahar bowled properly outdoors off to Patidar. The batter nonetheless tried to focus on the leg facet and holed out to lengthy-on. In the following over, Maxwell ended up hitting Brar straight to Arshdeep at lengthy-off, resulting in thigh-fives from the bowler, the fielder, and even Livingstone.
With 92 required from 36 balls, Arshdeep dashed Royal Challengers’ diminishing hopes with a wonderful fifteenth over, the place he conceded solely two runs and dismissed Karthik.
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo