IPL Live Report - Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants

Always an improbable target to chase, PBKS still fought to post 201. But that was still 56 short after LSG's batting might took them up to 257, the highest total this season. Perhaps the only positive for PBKS will be Taide's attacking 66. Their Nos. 4-7 in the batting order got off a to a start before giving it away, but what else could they have done other than approach the chase with big hits in mind from ball one? A big boost in terms of NRR for LSG; conversely, a slide for PBKS. That was it from us tonight, as batters from both sides entertained. Join us for the action tomorrow, on what is a double-header Saturday.

PBKS have fought fairly well to post 178 in 17 overs, as Sam Curran falls. Needless to say, they will fall well short of the 258-run target. As a result, while their NRR is set to get even worse - it was already the lowest among all three sides currently on eight points - LSG will happily head home with a big victory margin. That, in turn, will push them up from fourth to second, behind only on NRR to table toppers Rajasthan Royals.

Taide kept attacking, but the stubborn Bishnoi kept tossing it up. Finally it paid off. After lulling him with another loopy delivery, Bishnoi had Taide skying the ball after an attempted slog sweep resulted in a top edge. A good return catch by the bowler, who has been relatively expensive today. PBKS 127 for 4 in 13 overs, as Taide falls for 66 off 36. They need another 131 in seven overs, FWIW.

Atharva Taide, batting at No. 3, gets to his fifty by pulling one towards short fine leg. The innings took him just 26 balls. Thus, he has pretty much led the fight for PBKS, who are far off the required rate already. They need another 165 from 60 balls - that, of course, almost looks impossible. But PBKS will be boosted by Taide's performance, after scores of 0, 4 and 29 in his previous three innings this season. PBKS 93 for 2 after ten overs.

Meanwhile, LSG bring in legspinner Amit Mishra for Kyle Mayers as their Impact Sub. And Mishra is into action right away, starting with the seventh over of the innings.

Atharva Taide drove one down the ground off the fifth ball of the third over, with Stoinis getting hand to his left. Only that the ball was drilled hard, and pinged Stoinis' index finger of his left hand. After going up in pain right away, he was attended to by the LSG physio. But the attempt to get him back up failed, with Stoinis walking off. Badoni completes his over, which had one ball left. Daniel Sams is the sub fielder.

On the fourth ball of the second over, wicketkeeper Pooran - and the bowler Mayers - went up right away, the moment a shortish ball, angled into Prabhsimran, straightened outside leg. Prabhsimran tried to tickle but missed, and Pooran and Mayers started leaping in celebration for a potential caught behind. But the umpire wasn't interested, and Rahul wasn't sure so he didn't review. And, and... replays showed a faint nick off the inside edge. Some early luck for the Impact Sub.

They are chasing 258, so PBKS' captain Dhawan has no option but to be offensive from the word go. After tapping his first ball for a single, he skipped out of the crease to Stoinis. The bowler went short, angling it across and getting it to finish outside off. Dhawan ended up slashing it high, and into the deep-point fielder's lap. PBKS 3 for 1 after one over.

Even as Stoinis falls for 72 from 40 balls, LSG have 239 on the board with ten balls left. Krunal Pandya Deepak Hooda is in next, and Pooran is on 44 off 17 deliveries. Some records might be rewritten tonight.

The second time-out is taken after Rabada bowls a eight-ball over. It had everything: leg byes, a six, a no-ball and a wide. And much like PBKS' day with the ball so far, it hurt. Four overs to go. Pooran on 21 from 9 balls, and Stoinis on 56 off 34. Who knows even if 250 is breached?

It took him just 31 balls to get there, having hit four fours and three sixes. Kagiso Rabada returned to bowl in the 16th over of the innings, and after a single on the second ball took Stoinis to his fifty, he swatted Rabada for six over his head. And Rabada ensured the action wasn't done yet. He bowled a no-ball next ball, followed that with a wide, even as the free-hit ball was finally a yorker.

Over extra cover, over extra cover and through extra cover. That is how Nicholas Pooran started his innings. Liam Livingstone suffered immediately after getting Ayush Badoni. LSG reach 175 in 14 overs.

...Livingstone does get Badoni. Let us rewind first, though.

It has been that kind of a day for PBKS. Off the second ball of the 13th over, Liam Livingstone caught one calmly on the long-off boundary, as Stoinis launched Rahul Chahar off a full delivery. Only that Livingstone seemed to be a little too calm, and casual. His left foot kissed the rope, and it was given six. Before the verdict of six, Stoinis was on 38.

Next over, Livingstone came on as bowler. Badoni slog swept one off his pads, only for the deep-square fielder stretching out his right hand, off which the ball dropped on the other side of the boundary. Badoni survived, and his score went from 37 to 43. But, but, but... next ball, Badoni found the same man on the deep square-leg boundary. LSG 163 for 3.

PBKS desperately need a wicket before their train entirely goes off track and collapses. So Dhawan thought of using the DRS, hoping against hope. Sam Curran pitched a yorker outside leg, which Stoinis jammed off his pads, as the ball trickled wide of the leg stump. Out of nowhere - and after a late thought - Dhawan reviewed. And what did ball-tracking show? Of course pitching outside leg.

Prabhsimran Singh replaces debutant Gurnoor Brar just nine overs into the LSG innings. Clearly, the young bowler's confidence must have been dented. Plus, PBKS already stare at a 200-plus chase if all goes well for LSG.

A run rate of 12.33 after nine overs, and so 111 on the board (How PBKS will be hoping that sacrilege figure bites their opponents after the break!). Out of those 111 runs, there have been 12 fours and seven sixes; that is 90. Mayers cracked 54 from 24. Stoinis and Badoni in a commanding start already.

Gurnoor Brar, on T20 debut, has learnt a harsh lesson in only three overs he has bowled. They have gone for 42, with his third one - the eighth of the LSG innings - being taken for 24, as noted above. All this, after he had Rahul dropped first ball of the game, and his first over had gone for only one. Since then, he has conceded four fours and three sixes, with one of the maximums coming off a free hit. A real punishment. LSG 107 for 2 in eight overs.

He has given away 22 runs in his first two overs, including two sixes, two fours and a wide. But for all that, he has nabbed both of LSG's openers. After getting Rahul, Rabada banged one on a hard length to cramp Mayers for room. All the batter could do was pull it off the higher side of the bat to mid-on. But not before he had hammered 54 from 24 balls. LSG 74 for 2 in the powerplay. A run rate of 12.33.

Six fours. Four sixes. That is 48 runs out of 50 for Mayers. Pitch it short, and he will pull or slash. Go full, and he will drive or loft. And give him a full toss - exactly what Rabada did on the second ball of the sixth over - Mayers just used the pace to bash it over the bowler's head. There have been four fifties in the powerplay this season, and Mayers has two of them.

Six first ball. Wicket next. When Rabada pitched on a length outside off to resume his IPL campaign this season, Rahul presented the full face of the bat, and said goodbye to the ball, which flew over mid-off. Then Rabada went short outside off, only for Rahul to stab the ball to the short-third fielder to himself bid goodbye. LSG promoted Badoni to No. 3, who flicked the third ball he faced for four. LSG 45 for 1 after four overs.

Driven to deep point, pulled over midwicket, launched over the bowler's head and drilled down the ground. Mayers picks 17 off Arshdeep's first over to get LSG motoring. Before this match, Mayers had cracked 15 fours and seven sixes in the powerplay this season. No wonder he is on to it again. (Alas, Quinton!)

KL RAHUL IS DROPPED FIRST BALL OF THE MATCH. TAIDE AT POINT SHELLS A SITTER OFF T20 - AND IPL - DEBUTANT GURNOOR. LIFE IS CRUEL. SOMEBODY ASK GURNOOR. Rahul opens the bat face to this length ball wide of off, and ends up slicing to Taide's left, who just can't grab at that.

So the coin has fallen the home captain's way, as comeback man Dhawan bowls first. Apart from that, there are two other changes: Sikandar Raza replaces Matt Short, and Gurnoor Brar debuts for PBKS. Remember Raza had got 57 from 41 balls when these teams had met two weeks back. Rahul, meanwhile, said LSG are unchanged.

Lucknow Super Giants: 1 KL Rahul (capt.), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Krunal Pandya, 4 Marcus Stoinis, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 Ayush Badoni, 8 Naveen-ul-Haq, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Yash Thakur

Punjab Kings: 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt.), 2 Atharva Taide, 3 Sikandar Raza, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Jitesh Sharma, 7 Shahrukh Khan, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Gurnoor Brar, 11 Arshdeep Singh

Once upon a time, KL Rahul had cracked a fifty off 14 balls - fastest ever in IPL - at this same ground in Mohali. Only that it was for Punjab Kings. Then four years later, LSG came in like a new set of parents to adopt him, and took away after offering the bait. It is that reminder which Shashank Kishore's preview serves. Rahul is back in Mohali, but as an LSG boy. As for his former side PBKS, Shikhar Dhawan and Kagiso Rabada are set to return to the team. Where do you see this going?