Chahal the hero as PBKS defend 111
In the last game, they lost despite posting 245. Tonight, they have defended 111 successfully. The pitch was a seam-bowling paradise, but the difference was made by Chahal's four wickets from 62 for 2. He took a fitness test before the game, and told the reluctant coach he was all right to go, and did he go some? We leave you with a teaser from our final report. See you tomorrow.
Punjab Kings pulled off the lowest successful defence in the IPL by bowling out Kolkata Knight Riders for 95 after posting just 111, a game after they failed to defend 245 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. At 62 for 2, KKR were 98% favourites to win, but Yuzvendra Chahal triggered a sensational collapse in conditions that were almost as helpful for the seamers as in Test cricket. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen then applied the finishing touches with incisive short bowling, something KKR had used to end up with a paltry target to chase.
It was a match that swung wildly. PBKS went from 39 for 0 to 54 for 4 and then from 74 for 4 to 111 all out. KKR started the chase with two early wickets, but then raced away from 7 for 2, aided by some fielding errors, but then lost six wickets in 5.1 overs. Andre Russell then threatened to run away with the game with 16 off one Chahal over to alter his figures to 4-0-28-4, but then the big left-arm quicks turned to seal the win that took them into the top four.
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PBKS with the lowest successful defence
Marco Jansen has stunned KKR. Goes arund the wicket, digs it in, Russell looks to pull, gets a bottom edge, and the wicket is disturbed. The Mullanpur crowd is in raptures. PBKS are ecstatic. They have come back from the bring. They were only 2% favourites to win at 62 for 2. Now they have won by 16. That's about 15% of the total they managed.
This is the lowest total successfully defended in the IPL, going past 116 for 9 by CSK against KXIP in 2009 in Durban.
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And now we have a wicket-maiden
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W
This is Test match bowling. Arshdeep Singh has bowled a testing over at Vaibhav Arora, who nearly negotiates the over to make sure Andre Russell has company but Arshdeep has the final word. Four consecutive short balls as Arora's body from either side of the wicket. One hits the bicep, one fended down, but eventually the last ball, whistling by his nise, takes the edge. KKR still need 17. PBKS need one wicket.
Jansen to Russell now. Nortje is the No. 11, who has walked out with an illegal bat.
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Another swing
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That's Chahal's last over, the 14th of the innings. Chahal tried to buy the wicket by giving the ball air, but Russell came out better. He hit a flat six over long-off to a legbreak, then picked the googly to send him over long-on, and then sizzled a cover-drive for four as Chahal tried to go wide. His figures have gone from 3-0-12-4 to 4-0-28-4. KKR need 17, but Arshdeep has the No. 10 on strike.
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The KKR collpase
They have lost their last six wickets for 17 runs. At 62 for 2, they were 98% favourites to win this match. How games turn.
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Russell's slow season
75 Andre Russell's strike-rate this IPL. And KKR are nearly halfway through their league matches. He has scored just 18 off 24, including 1 off 4 here. Now is as good a time as any for him to come through for KKR
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Harshit gets a taste of his own medicine
Harshit Rana troubled the PBKS batters with short lengths and lack of room. PBKS give him Marco Jansen angling it in from around the wicket and digging it in. Harshit is beaten on two ramps as the ball keeps following him. The third one is only slightly fuller, hits him on the glove, and then leaves his stumps in a disarray. KKR are 79 for 8. Russell now has to bat with two tailenders.
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Chahal on a hat-trick
Ramandeep Singh is gone for a golden duck. This is an innocuous dismissal. He has made up his mind he is going to sweep the first ball, and this turns out to be a juicy full toss that lands on the side face of the fat and lobs up for a catch for Shreyas Iyer who is running to his left from slip. Harshit Rana joins Russells. It is 77 for 7 in 12 overs.
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Chahal magic trips Rinku
Quite literally. Clever change of line after watching Rinku Singh bat cautiously. He goes slower, wider, gets drift and di, drags Ranku out of the crease, beats him in the flight, and then turns past the inside edge to have him stumped. Rinku is down on the floor trying to get back in, but he can't. It's 76 for 6, and we have a proper live one here.
Remember they are doing this with a wet ball. A ball so wet it slipped out of Bartlett's hand as he tried to throw.
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PBKS spinners keep them alive
The game is on now. Glenn Maxwell has trapped Venkatesh Iyer on the sweep. The ball just squeezes under his bat, and straightens just enough to be hitting the leg stump. Andre Russell has a job to do now. It's 74 for 5.
Russell comes out wearing mismatched boots, plays a forward-defensive, and then winks at Maxwell in response to something Maxwell says.
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One brings two for Chahal
At the start of his next over, Yuzvendra Chahal again gets good dip and turn, drawing a thick edge from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, which is caught at backward point. KKR are now 72 for 4. They still need 40. If they can get those 40 in five overs, they go top of the table, which means nthing as of now because there are other teams on eight points who have games in hand.
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Chahal strikes
Only his third wicket, but Yuzvendra Chahal will be glad he has got it early in this spell. Just his fourth delivery this game, and he has beaten Ajinkya Rahane with the dip and has had him lbw on the sweep. Replays show Rahane has got outside the line, but Rahane chooses against reviewing. KKR 62 for 3 in 6.4 overs. They need 50 in 7.3 overs to go to the top of the table.
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Rahane, Raghuvanshi running away with the chase
It is a freneatic match all right. Despite two wickets gone in first eight balls, KKR are running away with the chase with some risk-taking from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and some calm striking from Ajinkya Rahane. They end the powerplay at 55 for 2. Raghuvanshi has 31 off 18, and Rahane 13 off 10.
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Welcome, Xavier Bartlett
PBKS picked Xavier Bartlett for the impact he makes in the powerplay, and it has taken him two balls to strike. Both swinging right to left, the first misses the inside edge and hits the pad but it gong down leg. The next one meets the bat but Quinton de Kock is looking for a big six and ends up skying it to deep square leg. We might yet get a close match.
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Jansen gets Narine early
After hitting a four off a full ball, Sunil Narine is bowled as Marco Jansen pulls back the length. Narine looks to back away and hit into the leg side, but the seam movement beats him and hits the top of the stumps. KKR 7 for 1 after one over.
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Shashank gone as well
It is almost as though Vaibhav Arora was feeling left out after having gone for 24 in his first two overs. He has come back and struck first ball. Again the impeccable length and inward movement, traps Shashank Singh lbw. PBKS 109 for 9 in 15.1 overs. Arshdeep Singh is the last man in.
Two balls later, ten and jack are involved in a run-out to be bowled out for 111.
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Varun 4-0-21-2
End of 14 overs, and Varun Chakravarthy is done with his night's work. The two wickets have not taken him into the top-five wicket-takers this IPL. He is joint-fourth now. To go with an economy rate of just 6.22 an over, Varun is having another excellent season. PBKS 104 for 8.
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Narine loves PBKS
36 Number of wickets Sunil Narine has taken against PBKS, the highest any bowler has managed against a single opposition in the IPL. He has gone past Umesh Yadav's 35 against PBKS
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Jansen in, Jansen out
Marco Jansen skips down at Sunil Narine, who bowls almost out of his palm and not his fingers. Jansen has completely done himself in in the flight and yorked himself. He misses, and the ball turns in a touch to hit him low on the off stump. It is 86 for 8 in 11 overs.
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It's a procession out there
Varun Chakravarthy strikes first ball of his second over. An over later, Sunil Narine takes out Suryansh Shedge with the first ball of his second over. A knuckle ball that pitches and shapes away a touch, taking the top edge on the cut, and Quinton de Kock takes a lovely catch, tracking the movement and bounce. PBKS are 81 for 7 in 10.1 overs. In comes Marco Jansen.
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Maxwell goes
We said Maxwell will have to be the fifth bowler. He can go back and warm up as C Varun has turned a wrong'un a long way between his bat and his pad, and hit the top of the stumps. This is superb bowling from KKR. Everybody has played their role perfectly. PBKS have been able to get better of only Vaibhav Arora. They are now 76 for 6 in 9.1 overs.
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SOS substitution
During the strategic timeout, PBKS have called in a batting Impact Player. Usually, you expect sides batting first to bring in an extra bowler. It seems PBKS have a set point of entry in mind for Shashank Singh so they have brought in Suryansh Shedge. That leaves Glenn Maxwell as the fifth bowler.
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The short ball keeps working
Anrich Nortje comes back in the ninth over only to be cut and picked over midwicket for fours by Nehal Wadhera. Then Nortje bowls a short ball like he means it. It gets big on Wadhera, who ends up heaving the pull shot. Caught at deep square. It's 74 for 5 in 8.5. Once KKR get into the lower order, their spinners have six overs left to run circles around them.
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KKR's comeback
15 Number of runs PBKS managed in the last 17 balls of the powerplay. And they lost four wickets doing so. They were 39 for 0 in 3.1 overs.
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Harshit and Raman strike again
Two sixes and out again. It is all action here. The falling wickets fail to slow Prabhsimran down as he looks to cash in on the last over of the powerplay. He ramps Harshit for a six over third and then skips down the track to muscle a slower ball over mid-off for another. It is almost as if he knows a slower ball is coming. However, Harshit comes back well, hits the deck harder, cramps Prabh up, and has him caught at point. Because of no room, there is no power in the cut. A third c Raman b Harshit dismissal. It's 54 for 4 at the end of the powerplay.
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KKR keep striking
Not the greatest debut for Josh Inglis. He lasts six balls for two runs, and is bowled playing an almighty slog-sweep off C Varun. He has missed the wrong'un by a mile. PBKS are now 42 for 3 in 4.5 overs.
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Shreyas gone for duck
Good field placement in that KKR have a deep point instead of deep third, but this is still a beat of a freak wicket This, the second ball Shreyas faces, is short, and it is wide, and he gets stuck into this aerial cut, possibly not aware of the field placement. However, it takes a special catch from Ramandeep Singh running in and diving forward to complete the dismissal. Raman gets more than just an assist in this. It's 39 for 2 in 3.4.
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Six and out
Priyansh Arya welcomes Harshit Rana to the bowling crease by picking a slower ball and hitting a sumptuous six over mid-off. Rana then comes back with. quicker ball, at 141ks, at his hip, and Arya ends up playing a nothing flick. This length could have been pulled or punched, but he ends up flicking it square on the leg side, only to be caught at the boundary. It's 39 for 2 in 3.2 overs.
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PBKS up and running
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The openers have now sized up the medium-pace of Vaibhav Arora, and have punished him in his second over. First Prabh ramped him, flicked and charged gim for fours. Then Arya walked at him and pulled him over mid-on. PBKS 33 for 0 in three overs.
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High pace, high intent
Anrich Nortje takes the second over, and immediately starts nudging 150ks. The first ball was 148.6. There was a legcutter at 127.8. These balls cramped Prabhsimran Singh, who took one off three.
Then Nortje bowled at 149.2, and Priyansh Arya nonchalantly cover-drove him over extra cover four four. Nortje then shortened the length, and was pulled over mid-on. PBKS 13 for 0 in two overs.
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First contest
Big left-to-right swing of Vaibhav Arora against a power-packed top order. Also I feel Anrich Nortje might open and be asked to go hard. Here we go
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Head-to-head
21 Number of matches, out of 33, that KKR have won against PBKS. Since 2020, though, it's 4-4
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PBKS bat first, Nortje makes KKR debut
Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bat first against his former team, Kolkata Knight Riders, in Mullanpur. Both the matches in Mullanpur this IPL so far have featured 200-plus targets and successful defences. Iyer said he made the decision despite the dew because of the trend of teams batting first winning.
There were caps handed out in both sides. Anrich Nortje made his KKR debut as he replaced Moeen Ali. It was clear KKR wanted to go express pace against a side whose Indian batters have been doing well.
In the absence of the injured Lockie Ferguson, PBKS handed out a debut to Xavier Bartlett, the Australia fast bowler, who can bat a little lower down the order. They also beefed up their batting with the introduction of Josh Inglis to go with their India-heavy batting. Marcus Stoinis was left out.
PBKS were likely to bring in Yash Thakur when bowling in the second innings. KKR had Angkrish Raghuvanshi as the extra batter among their substitutes.
This was expected to be an emotional match for Shreyas, who led KKR to the title last year, but wasn’t retained by the team, who were left scrambling for a captain by the end of the auction.
Punjab Kings 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt.), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Arshdeep Singh
PBKS substitutes V Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey
Kolkata Knight Riders 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Anrich Nortje, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun Chakravarthy
KKR substitutes Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia
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Conditions
A big square boundary of 70m on one side, and just 61m on the other. Simon Katich says it is a "wonderful" pitch. It is rock hard, he says. He expects runs and runs out in Mullanpur. Toss coming up shortly. We will soon find out who replaces the injured Lockie Ferguson.
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Are KKR not making optimum use of Dre Russ?
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Ramandeep, a Knight
We have spoken a lot about Shreyas coming up against what probably should have been his team. Ramandeep Singh is a Punjab player playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, something he says has changed everything for him.
Read this interview of Ramamndeep with Shashank Kishore.
"It's a confidence booster to be retained. Prior to the auction, a lot of teams told me 'don't get retained, we'll pick you, we're ready to go up to 9-10 crore'. But loyalty matters a lot to me. KKR gave me a platform when I needed it the most. I remember around the time retentions were to be decided, Venky [Mysore, KKR chief executive] sir called and said, 'you're in our retention plans, what are you thinking? It's eventually your call - if you were to get into the auction, we'll try and RTM'. But I told him I'm happy to get retained. Once you're in the auction, there's no guarantee you'll be in the same team, and I didn't want to leave KKR. For me, a few crores less didn't make a difference. I wanted to respect their word."
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This year vs 2024
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Shreyas Iyer vs KKR
He led them to the IPL title last year, but KKR let him go. Who knows how Shreyas Iyer feels about it? Surely fans will have eyes peeled on Shreyas for signs of emotion as he comes up against his former team at his new home, Mullanpur.
Both games at MYSICS in Mullanpur so far have featured 200-plus targets and successful defences. So al set for an explosive contest. Welcome to the Live Report will all the colour, analysis and updates. Let's go.
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