The firepower in the Punjab Kings (PBKS) batting line-up lived up to its reputation as they chased down 206 with six balls to spare against the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 3 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.
IPL returned to D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai after a long hiatus, with a run-fest that featured over 400 runs.
Needing 36 off the final three overs, Odean Smith (25* in 8 balls) and Shahrukh Khan (24* in 20) blasted 25 runs off the 18th over, bowled by Mohammed Siraj, and 13 runs off the penultimate over, by Harshal Patel, to give PBKS a winning start.
The platform for the win was set up by the new opening duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal, who scored at 10 an over for seven overs. The new recruits for PBKS, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (43 in 22) and Liam Livingstone (19 in 10), did not let the asking rate go out of reach.
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Royal Challengers Bangalore 205/2 in 20 overs
Sent to bat first, RCB’s innings had contrasting halves. After nine overs, they were 57/1, with du Plessis batting on 17 off 30 balls. Anuj Rawat’s 20-ball 21 and a flurry of extras ensured RCB stayed around the six-runs-an-over mark.
From thereon, du Plessis did not let the RCB fans miss his old friend A.B. de Villiers. He scored his next 71 runs from just 27 balls.
There were 13 sixes in the RCB innings, seven of which came off their captain’s blade. He added a 118-run stand for the second wicket with former RCB captain Virat Kohli (41* off 29) in just 61 balls.
With 17 balls still remaining in the innings, du Plessis missed out on a maiden IPL century. However, the RCB innings received the apt finish courtesy Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 14-ball 32. Kohli was happy to let Karthik take most of the strike in the 32-run stand off just 17 balls.
The bowling attack was always going to pose a problem for PBKS. Debutant Smith gave away 52 off his four overs and Harpreet Brar 38 in his three, and even Livingstone conceded 14 in his solitary over.
Making his debut in the reds, Rahul Chahar impressed with figures of 4-0-22-1. Arshdeep Singh, one of their retentions, also went under eight an over and dismissed du Plessis.
Punjab Kings 208/5 in 19 overs
The power-packed PBKS batting began with a boom in the post-K.L. Rahul era. Captain Agarwal (32 in 24) and Dhawan (43 in 29) added 71 in 43 balls before Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed the former.
In Jonny Bairstow’s absence, Rajapaksa, who had kept wickets, walked out at No. 3 and lived up to his reputation as a power-hitter, counterattacking his Sri Lankan teammate in the RCB colours.
At the other end, Dhawan took charge against the pacers, David Willey and Akash Deep. He blasted 30 off the 13 balls he faced. The 25-ball 47-run stand was broken by the guile of Harshal, who dismissed Dhawan by taking the pace off the ball.
Siraj brought RCB back in the contest by dismissing debutants Rajapaksa and Raj Bawa off consecutive balls. In the 15th over, Livingstone was caught spectacularly by Rawat off Akash Deep. Unfortunately, Rawat dropped a relatively easier catch, of Smith. As dew made the ball difficult to grip, the Bangalore fielders made errors in the field, and the bowlers sent down 21 wides.
Smith and Shahrukh then added an unbroken stand of 52 in just 25 balls to seal the match. With Bairstow and Kagiso Rabada yet to join the setup, IPL 2022 might just be the fate-altering season for the Punjab franchise that has qualified for only two Playoffs in the 14 completed seasons, with their last qualification coming in 2014.
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Brief Scores
Royal Challengers Bangalore 205/2 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 88; Rahul Chahar 1-22) lost to Delhi Capitals 208/5 in 19 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 43; Mohammed Siraj 2-59) by 5 wickets with 6 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Odean Smith.