Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by five wickets in yesterday’s IPL 2024 match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Batting first after winning the toss, RR put up a disappointing 144-9. PBKS chased down the target in 18.5 overs as skipper Sam Curran contributed 63* off 41.
Rajasthan never got going with the bat and, as a result, succumbed to their fourth consecutive defeat. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s poor run continued, as he was bowled by Curran for 4, done in by some late inward movement by the left-arm seamer. Skipper Sanju Samson (18) was the next to go, slicing a slower bouncer from Nathan Ellis to point.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore, coming in for Jos Buttler, struggled to get a hang of the surface. He fell for 18 off 23, caught in the deep while trying to take on Rahul Chahar. Ravichandran Ashwin (28 off 19) was promoted in the batting order and added 50 for the fourth wicket with Riyan Parag (48 off 34).
After Ashwin was caught at deep point off Arshdeep Singh, Rajasthan Royals once again lost their way, as Dhruv Jurel (0), Rovman Powell (4) and Impact Player Donovan Ferreira (7) all fell cheaply.
Parag carried the innings on his shoulders before falling in the last over, trapped leg before as he missed a full toss from Harshal Patel.
Sam Curran guides PBKS’ chase after early wobble
Chasing 145, Punjab Kings lost their first four wickets for 48. Prabhsimran Singh (6) top-edged an attempted pull off Trent Boult.
Rilee Rossouw (22) sliced a full delivery from Avesh Khan to point. In the same over, Shashank Singh (0) was trapped lbw by one that skidded off the seam. Jonny Bairstow (14 off 22) struggled for momentum and was caught in the deep as he slog-swept Yuzvendra Chahal.
PBKS skipper Curran and Jitesh Sharma (22 off 20), though, lifted the chasing side, adding 63 for the fifth wicket. Jitesh hit two sixes in his knock before being caught at long-on off Chahal.
Curran, though, played a captain’s knock, hitting five fours and three sixes in his unbeaten knock. Ashutosh Sharma also chipped in with 17* off 11.
RR vs PBKS: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday’s IPL 2024 match?
Curran had a brilliant all-round match for Punjab Kings. He claimed two key wickets and guided the team’s chase with an unbeaten 63. Harshal and Chahar also claimed two scalps each.
For Rajasthan Royals, Parag top-scored with a defiant 48, while Avesh and Chahal claimed two scalps each. PBKS skipper Curran, though, was named the Player of the Match for his all-round heroics.
