Well then, 202 is the magic number for KKR to end their two-match losing streak. It won't be easy by any means, as their batting order has faltered in recent games. And their middle order, especially, will be tested against the quality bowling unit of PBKS. Roll back the calendars to 2024, on this very day, Punjab Kings chased a mammoth 262 target against KKR. Can the Knight Riders flip the script this time around? Back in a bit with the run chase. Stay tuned.
With the score at 160/1 in the 15th over, Prabhsimran's dismissal triggered a momentum shift as KKR fought back with two quick wickets, including the prized scalp of Maxwell. Shreyas Iyer remained resolute, anchoring one end with a commendable captain's knock while wickets tumbled at the other, preventing PBKS from fully capitalizing on their explosive start. Despite the late stumble, where they could only hit four boundaries and a solitary six, they still managed to breach the imposing 200-run
Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings is up for a quick chat. He says it is a very good total on the board. He feels the wicket is on the slower side and the plan was to rotate the strike after the Powerplay and try to take the game deep. He mentions that he enjoys batting with Prabhsimran Singh, who guides him on which bowlers to target. Arya adds that the trust shown by Ricky Ponting gives him a lot of confidence to play his natural game.
Priyansh Arya crafted a flawless fifty, maximizing rewards while minimizing risks, before both openers shifted gears to target the spinners. PBKS cruised at a commanding 10 runs per over until Andre Russell finally intervened to break their formidable 120-run opening partnership. Undeterred at the other end, though, Prabhsimran Singh too raced away to his fifty and just took the attack masterfully.
With the pitch expected to punish aggression against the aging ball, the openers' rock-solid foundation proved invaluable as they capitalized on every loose delivery sent their way. However, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine's crafty spin bowling limited the batters to calculated strike rotation. The pacers, hence, became natural targets as the openers shrewdly navigated this dual-paced challenge and maintained a strong run rate.Â
On the slow-paced deck, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showcased tactical brilliance with their uncharacteristically watchful start. After taking a couple of overs to gauge the conditions, they methodically accelerated with well-timed boundaries, though never sacrificing technique for theatrics, which perfectly suited the surface. Though KKR's pacers bowled reasonably well, they couldn't pick any wickets and as a result, PBKS went unblemished in the Powerplay, with 56 on the
A marginal comeback from KKR's perspective as they only gave 40 runs in the last five overs, which included good death bowling from Andre Russell and Vaibhav Arora. Only one of the last five overs went into double digits, and with six wickets in hand, it was indeed a good pullback from the hosts in the last few overs. However, despite all that, PBKS have managed to post a very challenging total and have yet again crossed the 200 figure.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, A dot to end the innings! Andre Russell attempts a yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, Josh Inglis backs away but is a bit cramped for room and cannot get his hands through the ball. Gets beaten on the outside edge. The ball goes through to the keeper and the batters try to sneak in a bye but Rahmanullah Gurbaz is quick to release the ball and prevent the single. The Kings end up with 201 on the board!
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, ! Squeezed away by Josh Inglis and that brings up the 200 for the Kings! Tailing in at the toes, very full, Inglis clears his front leg and flicks it away to the right of the man at backward square leg inside the circle for a boundary.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Superb stuff from Andre Russell! Keeps it nice and full, on middle, Josh Inglis skips down the track to take it on the full. Plays it to the left of the bowler for the third single of the over.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Nails the yorker, at the stumps, Shreyas Iyer backs away and tries to get under the ball to glide it over short third. It gets lobbed in front of short third for just a single.
Andre Russell (2-0-19-1) will bowl the final over of the first innings. Also, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes in as the Impact Sub for KKR, in place of Chetan Sakariya.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Gets it very full, does Andre Russell, on off, Josh Inglis knocks it in front of extra cover for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, 1 run.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, ! Thumped! Vaibhav Arora goes short but this just sits up to be hit and offers width too. Shreyas Iyer hangs on the back foot and pumps it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary. Another over that is spoiled somewhat from a KKR perspective with a boundary on the last ball. 35 runs off the last 30 balls.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, ! Audacious! Vaibhav Arora bends his back and digs in a slower bumper, over off, Josh Inglis is quick to change his stance and plays the reverse scoop over short third for a boundary.
Josh Inglis is in at number 6.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, ! TAKEN! Marco Jansen holes out!
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, Another swing and a miss! On a short of a length, outside off, Marco Jansen shuffles across and swings for the hills but connects with thin air.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! A perfect end to the over for the Kings! An over where Kolkata Knight Riders should have had Shreyas Iyer ends with a six. Andre Russell takes pace off and goes into the wicket. It sits up to be hit and Iyer flat bats it over long on for a six.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to bowl the 19th over. He is 3-0-25-1 so far.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, So far, so good from Andre Russell! Right in the blockhole, on middle, Marco Jansen can only dig this one out.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! Vaibhav Arora puts it down! Andre Russell goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on the pads. Shreyas Iyer picks it up off his pads and whips it flat towards deep backward square leg. Vaibhav Arora is late to react in the deep and has to put in the dive ahead. The ball just about carries to him but he fails to cling on. A single taken.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, Another well-executed yorker, at the stumps, Marco Jansen gets his bat down to jam it out. The ball rolls near his feet and he gets called through for a quick single by Iyer.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell nails the yorker, at the base of the leg stump, Shreyas Iyer flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, On a nagging length, on middle, Shreyas Iyer hangs back and nudges it to mid-wicket for a single. Another good over for KKR. 7 runs off the over. Last 18 balls have gone for just 16 runs.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Marco Jansen, Floated up, on off, Marco Jansen presses forward and pushes it wide of cover for a single.
Marco Jansen is in at number 5.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, ! TIMBER! Varun Chakaravarthy wins the battle against Glenn Maxwell. Pushed through by Varun, on the shorter side, at the top of the off stump, Maxwell stays leg side of the ball and tries to use the pace of the ball by opening the face of the bat. Fails to lay any bat on it as the ball sneaks past the blade to clatter into the top of the off pole. Maxwell goes for just 7 (8) and the Punjab Kings are now 172/3.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Varun spots the batter backing away and follows him, Iyer can only push it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, Four!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Keeps it away from the batter's reach, slower and shorter, Shreyas Iyer slaps it hard but can't get it past extra cover. Just a single.
Strategic Break.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, Drags the length back and it is a bit quicker, on middle, Shreyas Iyer turns it off the pads to deep square leg for a single. Good last 12 balls for KKR. Just 9 runs off it and the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Narine offers flight, full and on middle and leg, Glenn Maxwell has a hack across the line. He is early into the shot and ends up dragging it towards deep square leg for one.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, On off, on a nagging length, Iyer dabs it to backward point and gets to the other end.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, 2 runs.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, At the stumps, short in length, Glenn Maxwell tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Turning into the right-hander, on the shorter side, Glenn Maxwell has a swipe across the line but misses and wears it on the pads.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, On off, on a length, Glenn Maxwell goes hard on the drive but miscues it away on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Who walks in next?
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TAKEN! An innocuous delivery but it fetches Vaibhav Arora a wicket. KKR will take it with both hands. End of a fine knock from Prabhsimran Singh.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, On off, off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, steered in front of short third for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Near the tramline on off, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh carves it away to deep third for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Pushed through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg, Singh cuts it to deep point for a single. 19 runs off the over.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Prabhsimran Singh is rampant!Â
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! All the way! Floated up, right in the slot, middle, the ball spins into the batter and Prabhsimran Singh makes the most of it. Nails the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a six.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Catch dropped in the deep!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Full on middle, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the slog sweep and gets it wide of the deep mid-wicket fielder who runs to his left but can't there. The ball goes on the bounce to the boundary.
Harshit Rana just landed on his left shoulder, on one of those practice pitches and looks in some discomfort.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Full and well outside off, Shreyas Iyer reaches out to it as he gets some bat and gets it over short third. The man from deep point runs to his left and cuts it off near the boundary. Good effort that from Harshit Rana in the deep. Two runs taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Chetan Sakariya switches to over the wicket and bowls a full toss, on off, Prabhsimran Singh flat bats it along the ground to long off for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, !
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! That's a copy paste of the previous delivery! Slower again on middle, Prabhsimran Singh waits a bit again as he makes some room and plays the steer in the gap between backward point and short third man for another four.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Four!
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Pace off delivery on a length, on off, Shreyas Iyer just opens the bat face and guides it to short third for a single.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on middle leg, Shreyas Iyer goes for the flick and gets a leading edge that flies to the left of Andre Russell who puts out his left hand but can't get anywhere close to it. The ball goes rolling along the ground to long off. Single taken.
PBKS skipper, Shreyas Iyer, is in at number 3.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! CAUGHT! Finally some relief for KKR! And it's that man again, Andre Russell the partnership breaker! The off cutter delivery, that lands on a length, just outside off, Priyansh Arya lines up for the pull and gets a bit of an top edge as it carries towards deep mid-wicket, where Vaibhav Arora takes a relatively easy catch.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! Priyansh Arya what a talent!
Andre Russell to Prabhsimran Singh, Yorker on middle, Prabhsimran Singh flicks this along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Free Hit has been used up well! Slower and wide outside off, a touch fuller, Prabhsimran Singh takes a step across and lofts this one over long off for a six. Oh, these two openers are making a mockery of the KKR bowlers.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Andre Russell is summoned into the attack now. He replaces Harshit Rana.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No ball! Full on leg stump, Prabhsimran Singh lines up for the switch hit as he turns across and plays it on the bounce to short cover. Oh he didn't get it anywhere off the middle of the bat. Free-hit coming up.Â
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up, on middle, Priyansh Arya nudges it to mid-wicket and crosses over.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Drags the length back, shorter and on off, Prabhsimran Singh knocks it to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Innovative and mighty effective! Floated up, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh switches his stance and plays the switch hit. Deposits it over deep point for a biggie. The 100 is up for the Kings!
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the reverse sweep and gets beaten as the ball hits his gloves and deflects on the front pad. A loud appeal for LBW and the bowling side go for the review. Oh that might be a waste. Anyways, third umpire on screen. Here's the slow motion view. The ball has clearly hit the gloves and then deflected on the pads. NOT and the onfield call stays. KKR lose a review.
A review for LBW.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, ! Take that! Slower through the air, shorter off break on middle, Priyansh Arya skips down the track and lofts this one over long on for a six.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Oh he is toying with Harshit Rana here, is Priyansh Arya! Slower delivery on a length, on middle, Priyansh Arya calmly flicks this one behind the wickets, fine enough to evade the short fine leg fielder for four.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, !
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Timing on that was WOW! Slower delivery, just outside off, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya stands tall and lofts this one with ease over covers for four.Â
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower one, full delivery on off, Prabhsimran Singh lines up to go big as he sits down on one knee and looks to play the slog sweep. He can't get it off the middle of the bat, as the ball goes along the ground to short mid-wicket.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Full toss on middle, Prabhsimran Singh looks to loft this one over covers, but the ball hits him high on the bat and goes on the bounce to short cover. Batters take a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Flat and short, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, In the air...but just short! Slower through the air, tossed up, off break, on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the release shot as he plays the slog sweep. The ball goes up in the air in the gap between deep mid-wicket and square leg. Sakariya from deep mid-wicket runs in and puts in the dive but can't get any hands to it. Batters run a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Slower through the air, a touch full on off, Priyansh Arya defends it off the front foot with soft hands to short cover. Another dot.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Short on off, Priyansh Arya pushes it off the back foot to short mid-wicket. Dot ball.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower and fuller on middle, Prabhsimran Singh pushes it off the front foot into the leg side and takes a single. The deep mid-wicket fielder runs in and collects the ball.
STRATEGIC BREAK! Punjab Kings have gone about their business with a good mix of caution and aggression and will be quite pleased with the foundation their openers have laid. As the ball gets older and loses its hardness, shot-making could become more difficult, and that's where the solid start will be crucial. As for KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be key in this middle phase as they look to put the brakes on the scoring and create pressure through wickets.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, A touch short and quick, on middle leg, Prabhsimran Singh pulls it, along the ground, to the left of deep square leg and picks up two runs as the deep square leg fielder cuts it off near the boundary.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Quick, short, outside off, Priyansh Arya cuts it to the left of deep extra cover for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, ! Belted! Quick full on middle, Priyansh Arya slogs this one way over deep mid-wicket for a big six. Oh, he middled it to perfection.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full on middle-leg, Priyansh Arya plays it along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower off break, on a good length, on off stump, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the scoop and gets it off the inside half of the bat to short fine leg for a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full, just outside off, Priyansh Arya flicks it along the ground, off the front foot, to deep mid-wicket for a single.
The head coach of the Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, is in for a chat. Ponting says he is happy with how the openers play with the intent the team wants.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Another beauty!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, JAFFA! A wrong'un, landing just around off and spinning away, Prabhsimran Singh gets beaten as he looks to sweep it away.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Pitching outside leg, fullish in length, Priyansh Arya steers it along the ground, through square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Dragged length, this time, on a tight line, on middle and leg. Priyansh Arya pushes it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Drifting across off, on a length, Arya hangs back and pats it to the point region.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy is into the attack now. Dishes it out on a length, on the middle, Prabhsimran Singh turns it across to the leg side, behind square for a single.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, Nagging length, angling on the off stump line, Priyansh Arya works it to backward point. Another over that goes for double figures. 11 runs off it.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Over the top of middle, on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh hags on the back foot and taps it with soft hands. Runs a quick single as the ball rolls toward cover.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, at the stumps, Prabhsimran Singh clips it to the short mid-wicket region.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TOP SHOT!
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, BEATEN! Hurls it fuller and angling on the leg stump line, slightly nipping back in. Prabhsimran Singh tries to whip it across into the leg side, but gets beaten and the ball passes close to the leg stump, on the way to the keeper.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Cleverly played! Back of a length, shaping way, Prabhsimran Singh leans back and plays it very late. Opens the bat face and glides it over short third for a boundary.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Through the gap again! A bit too short and just on top of off, Arya stands tall and pulls it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. 18 off Sakariya's second. 30 off the last two overs.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Dragged length, on the middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh turns it to the mid-wicket region for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! In control!
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, WIDE! Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a muted appeal for caught behind, but he is the only one interested. Shaping down the leg stump, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh misses to pull and Gurbaz dives to his left to grab the ball. Wide called.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Around off, on the good length, placed into the off side for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Lovely hands! Priyansh is dealing in fours, his fifth so far.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, a slower one at 110.4 kph, on the leg stump. Prabhsimran Singh shuffles and stays leg side of the ball, drives it to the left of mid off for a quick single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Placed nicely! Fuller one, angling on the stumps, Priyansh Arya lofts it wide of cover for a boundary to end the over. 12 off it.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, A toe-crushing yorker at 132.4 kph, shaping in on the leg stump, Priyansh Arya carves it out and squeezes it to the off side.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, WIDE! Down the leg side, on a length, Priyansh Arya misses to work it across. Wide given.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Four!
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, An attempted yorker, tailing back in on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it across, along the ground to deep square leg. Gets a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Angling far across the off stump, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya lofts it over cover-point for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, A gentle-paced delivery, angling across off on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh cuts it away to backward point. So far, so good from Chetan Sakariya.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, At 132 kph, full and on the leg stump line, Prabhsimran Singh charges forward and drills it to the left of long on for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, An excellent over from Sakariya. Just three singles off it. Angling back into the batter, on top of middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh steers it across to the backward square leg region for a single.
Halt! Chetan Sakariya is having some trouble with the landing area.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Shaping back into the leg stump, on a short length, Priyansh Arya gets on his toes, and tucks it into the leg side, from the cue end of the bat. A single taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Back of a length, outside off, guided down to deep third for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Around off, a tad full in length, Prabhsimran Singh steps out of the crease and resorts to ease it into the off side.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, From over the stumps, Chetan bowls it fuller, and angles it back into the batter, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh blocks it off into the leg side.
On debut for KKR, Chetan Sakariya will operate from the other end.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! A left-hander's delight! In control! Shapes away from the batter, across off, full in length, Priyansh Arya leans into the drive and cracks the cover drive with precision for a boundary. A good positive start for PBKS, they are 10/0.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Another one that tails back in, on the pads, on the good length, Prabhsimran Singh gets half forward and tucks it to the mid-wicket region for a single. Gets off the mark, does Prabhsimran.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, This one shapes back in, at a gentle pace of 128.5 kph, on a length, at off, Prabhsimran Singh stabs it onto the surface.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Swings away from the batter, on off and slightly fuller, Prabhsimran Singh drives it off the front foot, straight to mid off.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Drags the length a bit back, around off, worked through backward point for a single by Arya.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Eased away! Punjab Kings and Priyansh Arya are up and running in style! Vaibhav bowls it too full and shapes away from middle, Priyansh Arya prods forward and caresses it through the cover and mid off gap for a boundary.
We are all set to get going. Ajinkya Rahane has some final words for his team in the huddle. Out walk the two openers of the Punjab Kings, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Vaibhav Arora will open the attack for the Knight Riders. The countdown is done. Here we go!
The captain of Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer, says that since they are playing on the same deck as the last game KKR played on, it is good to bat based on the cracks in the pitch. About playing in Kolkata, he says it feels nostalgic and it is just another day to embrace for him. Adds they had a few days to see and plan on how they can counter certain conditions, and tells that it is up to their ability on how they can win matches from different situations. Informs the two changes - Glenn Maxwell a
The skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane, says, it doesnât matter when you lose the toss, about whether they would have batted or bowled first. He believes itâs about playing good cricket. He mentions that they know this wicket in and out about how it plays throughout the game. States that the positives for their side have been their bowling unit, which has bowled well. Adds that the bowling unit has improved every game. Says that the batters are disappointed with their effort
Impact players nominated by PBKS - Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Suryansh Shedge.
TOSS - Punjab Kings win the flip of the coin and they will BAT first.
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Well then, 202 is the magic number for KKR to end their two-match losing streak. It won't be easy by any means, as their batting order has faltered in recent games. And their middle order, especially, will be tested against the quality bowling unit of PBKS. Roll back the calendars to 2024, on this very day, Punjab Kings chased a mammoth 262 target against KKR. Can the Knight Riders flip the script this time around? Back in a bit with the run chase. Stay tuned.
With the score at 160/1 in the 15th over, Prabhsimran's dismissal triggered a momentum shift as KKR fought back with two quick wickets, including the prized scalp of Maxwell. Shreyas Iyer remained resolute, anchoring one end with a commendable captain's knock while wickets tumbled at the other, preventing PBKS from fully capitalizing on their explosive start. Despite the late stumble, where they could only hit four boundaries and a solitary six, they still managed to breach the imposing 200-run
Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings is up for a quick chat. He says it is a very good total on the board. He feels the wicket is on the slower side and the plan was to rotate the strike after the Powerplay and try to take the game deep. He mentions that he enjoys batting with Prabhsimran Singh, who guides him on which bowlers to target. Arya adds that the trust shown by Ricky Ponting gives him a lot of confidence to play his natural game.
Priyansh Arya crafted a flawless fifty, maximizing rewards while minimizing risks, before both openers shifted gears to target the spinners. PBKS cruised at a commanding 10 runs per over until Andre Russell finally intervened to break their formidable 120-run opening partnership. Undeterred at the other end, though, Prabhsimran Singh too raced away to his fifty and just took the attack masterfully.
With the pitch expected to punish aggression against the aging ball, the openers' rock-solid foundation proved invaluable as they capitalized on every loose delivery sent their way. However, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine's crafty spin bowling limited the batters to calculated strike rotation. The pacers, hence, became natural targets as the openers shrewdly navigated this dual-paced challenge and maintained a strong run rate.Â
On the slow-paced deck, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showcased tactical brilliance with their uncharacteristically watchful start. After taking a couple of overs to gauge the conditions, they methodically accelerated with well-timed boundaries, though never sacrificing technique for theatrics, which perfectly suited the surface. Though KKR's pacers bowled reasonably well, they couldn't pick any wickets and as a result, PBKS went unblemished in the Powerplay, with 56 on the
A marginal comeback from KKR's perspective as they only gave 40 runs in the last five overs, which included good death bowling from Andre Russell and Vaibhav Arora. Only one of the last five overs went into double digits, and with six wickets in hand, it was indeed a good pullback from the hosts in the last few overs. However, despite all that, PBKS have managed to post a very challenging total and have yet again crossed the 200 figure.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, A dot to end the innings! Andre Russell attempts a yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, Josh Inglis backs away but is a bit cramped for room and cannot get his hands through the ball. Gets beaten on the outside edge. The ball goes through to the keeper and the batters try to sneak in a bye but Rahmanullah Gurbaz is quick to release the ball and prevent the single. The Kings end up with 201 on the board!
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, ! Squeezed away by Josh Inglis and that brings up the 200 for the Kings! Tailing in at the toes, very full, Inglis clears his front leg and flicks it away to the right of the man at backward square leg inside the circle for a boundary.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Superb stuff from Andre Russell! Keeps it nice and full, on middle, Josh Inglis skips down the track to take it on the full. Plays it to the left of the bowler for the third single of the over.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Nails the yorker, at the stumps, Shreyas Iyer backs away and tries to get under the ball to glide it over short third. It gets lobbed in front of short third for just a single.
Andre Russell (2-0-19-1) will bowl the final over of the first innings. Also, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes in as the Impact Sub for KKR, in place of Chetan Sakariya.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Gets it very full, does Andre Russell, on off, Josh Inglis knocks it in front of extra cover for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, 1 run.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, ! Thumped! Vaibhav Arora goes short but this just sits up to be hit and offers width too. Shreyas Iyer hangs on the back foot and pumps it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary. Another over that is spoiled somewhat from a KKR perspective with a boundary on the last ball. 35 runs off the last 30 balls.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, ! Audacious! Vaibhav Arora bends his back and digs in a slower bumper, over off, Josh Inglis is quick to change his stance and plays the reverse scoop over short third for a boundary.
Josh Inglis is in at number 6.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, ! TAKEN! Marco Jansen holes out!
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, Another swing and a miss! On a short of a length, outside off, Marco Jansen shuffles across and swings for the hills but connects with thin air.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! A perfect end to the over for the Kings! An over where Kolkata Knight Riders should have had Shreyas Iyer ends with a six. Andre Russell takes pace off and goes into the wicket. It sits up to be hit and Iyer flat bats it over long on for a six.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to bowl the 19th over. He is 3-0-25-1 so far.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, So far, so good from Andre Russell! Right in the blockhole, on middle, Marco Jansen can only dig this one out.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! Vaibhav Arora puts it down! Andre Russell goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on the pads. Shreyas Iyer picks it up off his pads and whips it flat towards deep backward square leg. Vaibhav Arora is late to react in the deep and has to put in the dive ahead. The ball just about carries to him but he fails to cling on. A single taken.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, Another well-executed yorker, at the stumps, Marco Jansen gets his bat down to jam it out. The ball rolls near his feet and he gets called through for a quick single by Iyer.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell nails the yorker, at the base of the leg stump, Shreyas Iyer flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, On a nagging length, on middle, Shreyas Iyer hangs back and nudges it to mid-wicket for a single. Another good over for KKR. 7 runs off the over. Last 18 balls have gone for just 16 runs.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Marco Jansen, Floated up, on off, Marco Jansen presses forward and pushes it wide of cover for a single.
Marco Jansen is in at number 5.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, ! TIMBER! Varun Chakaravarthy wins the battle against Glenn Maxwell. Pushed through by Varun, on the shorter side, at the top of the off stump, Maxwell stays leg side of the ball and tries to use the pace of the ball by opening the face of the bat. Fails to lay any bat on it as the ball sneaks past the blade to clatter into the top of the off pole. Maxwell goes for just 7 (8) and the Punjab Kings are now 172/3.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Varun spots the batter backing away and follows him, Iyer can only push it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, Four!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Keeps it away from the batter's reach, slower and shorter, Shreyas Iyer slaps it hard but can't get it past extra cover. Just a single.
Strategic Break.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, Drags the length back and it is a bit quicker, on middle, Shreyas Iyer turns it off the pads to deep square leg for a single. Good last 12 balls for KKR. Just 9 runs off it and the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Narine offers flight, full and on middle and leg, Glenn Maxwell has a hack across the line. He is early into the shot and ends up dragging it towards deep square leg for one.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, On off, on a nagging length, Iyer dabs it to backward point and gets to the other end.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, 2 runs.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, At the stumps, short in length, Glenn Maxwell tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Turning into the right-hander, on the shorter side, Glenn Maxwell has a swipe across the line but misses and wears it on the pads.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, On off, on a length, Glenn Maxwell goes hard on the drive but miscues it away on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Who walks in next?
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TAKEN! An innocuous delivery but it fetches Vaibhav Arora a wicket. KKR will take it with both hands. End of a fine knock from Prabhsimran Singh.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, On off, off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, steered in front of short third for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Near the tramline on off, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh carves it away to deep third for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Pushed through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg, Singh cuts it to deep point for a single. 19 runs off the over.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Prabhsimran Singh is rampant!Â
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! All the way! Floated up, right in the slot, middle, the ball spins into the batter and Prabhsimran Singh makes the most of it. Nails the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a six.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Catch dropped in the deep!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Full on middle, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the slog sweep and gets it wide of the deep mid-wicket fielder who runs to his left but can't there. The ball goes on the bounce to the boundary.
Harshit Rana just landed on his left shoulder, on one of those practice pitches and looks in some discomfort.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Full and well outside off, Shreyas Iyer reaches out to it as he gets some bat and gets it over short third. The man from deep point runs to his left and cuts it off near the boundary. Good effort that from Harshit Rana in the deep. Two runs taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Chetan Sakariya switches to over the wicket and bowls a full toss, on off, Prabhsimran Singh flat bats it along the ground to long off for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, !
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! That's a copy paste of the previous delivery! Slower again on middle, Prabhsimran Singh waits a bit again as he makes some room and plays the steer in the gap between backward point and short third man for another four.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Four!
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Pace off delivery on a length, on off, Shreyas Iyer just opens the bat face and guides it to short third for a single.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on middle leg, Shreyas Iyer goes for the flick and gets a leading edge that flies to the left of Andre Russell who puts out his left hand but can't get anywhere close to it. The ball goes rolling along the ground to long off. Single taken.
PBKS skipper, Shreyas Iyer, is in at number 3.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! CAUGHT! Finally some relief for KKR! And it's that man again, Andre Russell the partnership breaker! The off cutter delivery, that lands on a length, just outside off, Priyansh Arya lines up for the pull and gets a bit of an top edge as it carries towards deep mid-wicket, where Vaibhav Arora takes a relatively easy catch.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! Priyansh Arya what a talent!
Andre Russell to Prabhsimran Singh, Yorker on middle, Prabhsimran Singh flicks this along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Free Hit has been used up well! Slower and wide outside off, a touch fuller, Prabhsimran Singh takes a step across and lofts this one over long off for a six. Oh, these two openers are making a mockery of the KKR bowlers.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Andre Russell is summoned into the attack now. He replaces Harshit Rana.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No ball! Full on leg stump, Prabhsimran Singh lines up for the switch hit as he turns across and plays it on the bounce to short cover. Oh he didn't get it anywhere off the middle of the bat. Free-hit coming up.Â
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up, on middle, Priyansh Arya nudges it to mid-wicket and crosses over.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Drags the length back, shorter and on off, Prabhsimran Singh knocks it to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Innovative and mighty effective! Floated up, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh switches his stance and plays the switch hit. Deposits it over deep point for a biggie. The 100 is up for the Kings!
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the reverse sweep and gets beaten as the ball hits his gloves and deflects on the front pad. A loud appeal for LBW and the bowling side go for the review. Oh that might be a waste. Anyways, third umpire on screen. Here's the slow motion view. The ball has clearly hit the gloves and then deflected on the pads. NOT and the onfield call stays. KKR lose a review.
A review for LBW.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, ! Take that! Slower through the air, shorter off break on middle, Priyansh Arya skips down the track and lofts this one over long on for a six.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Oh he is toying with Harshit Rana here, is Priyansh Arya! Slower delivery on a length, on middle, Priyansh Arya calmly flicks this one behind the wickets, fine enough to evade the short fine leg fielder for four.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, !
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Timing on that was WOW! Slower delivery, just outside off, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya stands tall and lofts this one with ease over covers for four.Â
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower one, full delivery on off, Prabhsimran Singh lines up to go big as he sits down on one knee and looks to play the slog sweep. He can't get it off the middle of the bat, as the ball goes along the ground to short mid-wicket.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Full toss on middle, Prabhsimran Singh looks to loft this one over covers, but the ball hits him high on the bat and goes on the bounce to short cover. Batters take a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Flat and short, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, In the air...but just short! Slower through the air, tossed up, off break, on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the release shot as he plays the slog sweep. The ball goes up in the air in the gap between deep mid-wicket and square leg. Sakariya from deep mid-wicket runs in and puts in the dive but can't get any hands to it. Batters run a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Slower through the air, a touch full on off, Priyansh Arya defends it off the front foot with soft hands to short cover. Another dot.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Short on off, Priyansh Arya pushes it off the back foot to short mid-wicket. Dot ball.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower and fuller on middle, Prabhsimran Singh pushes it off the front foot into the leg side and takes a single. The deep mid-wicket fielder runs in and collects the ball.
STRATEGIC BREAK! Punjab Kings have gone about their business with a good mix of caution and aggression and will be quite pleased with the foundation their openers have laid. As the ball gets older and loses its hardness, shot-making could become more difficult, and that's where the solid start will be crucial. As for KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be key in this middle phase as they look to put the brakes on the scoring and create pressure through wickets.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, A touch short and quick, on middle leg, Prabhsimran Singh pulls it, along the ground, to the left of deep square leg and picks up two runs as the deep square leg fielder cuts it off near the boundary.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Quick, short, outside off, Priyansh Arya cuts it to the left of deep extra cover for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, ! Belted! Quick full on middle, Priyansh Arya slogs this one way over deep mid-wicket for a big six. Oh, he middled it to perfection.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full on middle-leg, Priyansh Arya plays it along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower off break, on a good length, on off stump, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the scoop and gets it off the inside half of the bat to short fine leg for a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full, just outside off, Priyansh Arya flicks it along the ground, off the front foot, to deep mid-wicket for a single.
The head coach of the Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, is in for a chat. Ponting says he is happy with how the openers play with the intent the team wants.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Another beauty!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, JAFFA! A wrong'un, landing just around off and spinning away, Prabhsimran Singh gets beaten as he looks to sweep it away.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Pitching outside leg, fullish in length, Priyansh Arya steers it along the ground, through square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Dragged length, this time, on a tight line, on middle and leg. Priyansh Arya pushes it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Drifting across off, on a length, Arya hangs back and pats it to the point region.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy is into the attack now. Dishes it out on a length, on the middle, Prabhsimran Singh turns it across to the leg side, behind square for a single.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, Nagging length, angling on the off stump line, Priyansh Arya works it to backward point. Another over that goes for double figures. 11 runs off it.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Over the top of middle, on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh hags on the back foot and taps it with soft hands. Runs a quick single as the ball rolls toward cover.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, at the stumps, Prabhsimran Singh clips it to the short mid-wicket region.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TOP SHOT!
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, BEATEN! Hurls it fuller and angling on the leg stump line, slightly nipping back in. Prabhsimran Singh tries to whip it across into the leg side, but gets beaten and the ball passes close to the leg stump, on the way to the keeper.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Cleverly played! Back of a length, shaping way, Prabhsimran Singh leans back and plays it very late. Opens the bat face and glides it over short third for a boundary.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Through the gap again! A bit too short and just on top of off, Arya stands tall and pulls it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. 18 off Sakariya's second. 30 off the last two overs.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Dragged length, on the middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh turns it to the mid-wicket region for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! In control!
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, WIDE! Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a muted appeal for caught behind, but he is the only one interested. Shaping down the leg stump, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh misses to pull and Gurbaz dives to his left to grab the ball. Wide called.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Around off, on the good length, placed into the off side for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Lovely hands! Priyansh is dealing in fours, his fifth so far.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, a slower one at 110.4 kph, on the leg stump. Prabhsimran Singh shuffles and stays leg side of the ball, drives it to the left of mid off for a quick single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Placed nicely! Fuller one, angling on the stumps, Priyansh Arya lofts it wide of cover for a boundary to end the over. 12 off it.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, A toe-crushing yorker at 132.4 kph, shaping in on the leg stump, Priyansh Arya carves it out and squeezes it to the off side.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, WIDE! Down the leg side, on a length, Priyansh Arya misses to work it across. Wide given.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Four!
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, An attempted yorker, tailing back in on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it across, along the ground to deep square leg. Gets a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Angling far across the off stump, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya lofts it over cover-point for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, A gentle-paced delivery, angling across off on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh cuts it away to backward point. So far, so good from Chetan Sakariya.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, At 132 kph, full and on the leg stump line, Prabhsimran Singh charges forward and drills it to the left of long on for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, An excellent over from Sakariya. Just three singles off it. Angling back into the batter, on top of middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh steers it across to the backward square leg region for a single.
Halt! Chetan Sakariya is having some trouble with the landing area.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Shaping back into the leg stump, on a short length, Priyansh Arya gets on his toes, and tucks it into the leg side, from the cue end of the bat. A single taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Back of a length, outside off, guided down to deep third for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Around off, a tad full in length, Prabhsimran Singh steps out of the crease and resorts to ease it into the off side.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, From over the stumps, Chetan bowls it fuller, and angles it back into the batter, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh blocks it off into the leg side.
On debut for KKR, Chetan Sakariya will operate from the other end.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! A left-hander's delight! In control! Shapes away from the batter, across off, full in length, Priyansh Arya leans into the drive and cracks the cover drive with precision for a boundary. A good positive start for PBKS, they are 10/0.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Another one that tails back in, on the pads, on the good length, Prabhsimran Singh gets half forward and tucks it to the mid-wicket region for a single. Gets off the mark, does Prabhsimran.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, This one shapes back in, at a gentle pace of 128.5 kph, on a length, at off, Prabhsimran Singh stabs it onto the surface.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Swings away from the batter, on off and slightly fuller, Prabhsimran Singh drives it off the front foot, straight to mid off.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Drags the length a bit back, around off, worked through backward point for a single by Arya.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Eased away! Punjab Kings and Priyansh Arya are up and running in style! Vaibhav bowls it too full and shapes away from middle, Priyansh Arya prods forward and caresses it through the cover and mid off gap for a boundary.
We are all set to get going. Ajinkya Rahane has some final words for his team in the huddle. Out walk the two openers of the Punjab Kings, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Vaibhav Arora will open the attack for the Knight Riders. The countdown is done. Here we go!
The captain of Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer, says that since they are playing on the same deck as the last game KKR played on, it is good to bat based on the cracks in the pitch. About playing in Kolkata, he says it feels nostalgic and it is just another day to embrace for him. Adds they had a few days to see and plan on how they can counter certain conditions, and tells that it is up to their ability on how they can win matches from different situations. Informs the two changes - Glenn Maxwell a
The skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane, says, it doesnât matter when you lose the toss, about whether they would have batted or bowled first. He believes itâs about playing good cricket. He mentions that they know this wicket in and out about how it plays throughout the game. States that the positives for their side have been their bowling unit, which has bowled well. Adds that the bowling unit has improved every game. Says that the batters are disappointed with their effort
Impact players nominated by PBKS - Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Suryansh Shedge.
TOSS - Punjab Kings win the flip of the coin and they will BAT first.
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Kolkata Knight Riders
7/0(1 Overs)
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Well then, 202 is the magic number for KKR to end their two-match losing streak. It won't be easy by any means, as their batting order has faltered in recent games. And their middle order, especially, will be tested against the quality bowling unit of PBKS. Roll back the calendars to 2024, on this very day, Punjab Kings chased a mammoth 262 target against KKR. Can the Knight Riders flip the script this time around? Back in a bit with the run chase. Stay tuned.
With the score at 160/1 in the 15th over, Prabhsimran's dismissal triggered a momentum shift as KKR fought back with two quick wickets, including the prized scalp of Maxwell. Shreyas Iyer remained resolute, anchoring one end with a commendable captain's knock while wickets tumbled at the other, preventing PBKS from fully capitalizing on their explosive start. Despite the late stumble, where they could only hit four boundaries and a solitary six, they still managed to breach the imposing 200-run
Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings is up for a quick chat. He says it is a very good total on the board. He feels the wicket is on the slower side and the plan was to rotate the strike after the Powerplay and try to take the game deep. He mentions that he enjoys batting with Prabhsimran Singh, who guides him on which bowlers to target. Arya adds that the trust shown by Ricky Ponting gives him a lot of confidence to play his natural game.
Priyansh Arya crafted a flawless fifty, maximizing rewards while minimizing risks, before both openers shifted gears to target the spinners. PBKS cruised at a commanding 10 runs per over until Andre Russell finally intervened to break their formidable 120-run opening partnership. Undeterred at the other end, though, Prabhsimran Singh too raced away to his fifty and just took the attack masterfully.
With the pitch expected to punish aggression against the aging ball, the openers' rock-solid foundation proved invaluable as they capitalized on every loose delivery sent their way. However, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine's crafty spin bowling limited the batters to calculated strike rotation. The pacers, hence, became natural targets as the openers shrewdly navigated this dual-paced challenge and maintained a strong run rate.Â
On the slow-paced deck, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showcased tactical brilliance with their uncharacteristically watchful start. After taking a couple of overs to gauge the conditions, they methodically accelerated with well-timed boundaries, though never sacrificing technique for theatrics, which perfectly suited the surface. Though KKR's pacers bowled reasonably well, they couldn't pick any wickets and as a result, PBKS went unblemished in the Powerplay, with 56 on the
A marginal comeback from KKR's perspective as they only gave 40 runs in the last five overs, which included good death bowling from Andre Russell and Vaibhav Arora. Only one of the last five overs went into double digits, and with six wickets in hand, it was indeed a good pullback from the hosts in the last few overs. However, despite all that, PBKS have managed to post a very challenging total and have yet again crossed the 200 figure.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, A dot to end the innings! Andre Russell attempts a yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, Josh Inglis backs away but is a bit cramped for room and cannot get his hands through the ball. Gets beaten on the outside edge. The ball goes through to the keeper and the batters try to sneak in a bye but Rahmanullah Gurbaz is quick to release the ball and prevent the single. The Kings end up with 201 on the board!
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, ! Squeezed away by Josh Inglis and that brings up the 200 for the Kings! Tailing in at the toes, very full, Inglis clears his front leg and flicks it away to the right of the man at backward square leg inside the circle for a boundary.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Superb stuff from Andre Russell! Keeps it nice and full, on middle, Josh Inglis skips down the track to take it on the full. Plays it to the left of the bowler for the third single of the over.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Nails the yorker, at the stumps, Shreyas Iyer backs away and tries to get under the ball to glide it over short third. It gets lobbed in front of short third for just a single.
Andre Russell (2-0-19-1) will bowl the final over of the first innings. Also, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes in as the Impact Sub for KKR, in place of Chetan Sakariya.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Gets it very full, does Andre Russell, on off, Josh Inglis knocks it in front of extra cover for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, 1 run.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, ! Thumped! Vaibhav Arora goes short but this just sits up to be hit and offers width too. Shreyas Iyer hangs on the back foot and pumps it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary. Another over that is spoiled somewhat from a KKR perspective with a boundary on the last ball. 35 runs off the last 30 balls.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, ! Audacious! Vaibhav Arora bends his back and digs in a slower bumper, over off, Josh Inglis is quick to change his stance and plays the reverse scoop over short third for a boundary.
Josh Inglis is in at number 6.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, ! TAKEN! Marco Jansen holes out!
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, Another swing and a miss! On a short of a length, outside off, Marco Jansen shuffles across and swings for the hills but connects with thin air.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! A perfect end to the over for the Kings! An over where Kolkata Knight Riders should have had Shreyas Iyer ends with a six. Andre Russell takes pace off and goes into the wicket. It sits up to be hit and Iyer flat bats it over long on for a six.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to bowl the 19th over. He is 3-0-25-1 so far.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, So far, so good from Andre Russell! Right in the blockhole, on middle, Marco Jansen can only dig this one out.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! Vaibhav Arora puts it down! Andre Russell goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on the pads. Shreyas Iyer picks it up off his pads and whips it flat towards deep backward square leg. Vaibhav Arora is late to react in the deep and has to put in the dive ahead. The ball just about carries to him but he fails to cling on. A single taken.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, Another well-executed yorker, at the stumps, Marco Jansen gets his bat down to jam it out. The ball rolls near his feet and he gets called through for a quick single by Iyer.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell nails the yorker, at the base of the leg stump, Shreyas Iyer flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, On a nagging length, on middle, Shreyas Iyer hangs back and nudges it to mid-wicket for a single. Another good over for KKR. 7 runs off the over. Last 18 balls have gone for just 16 runs.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Marco Jansen, Floated up, on off, Marco Jansen presses forward and pushes it wide of cover for a single.
Marco Jansen is in at number 5.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, ! TIMBER! Varun Chakaravarthy wins the battle against Glenn Maxwell. Pushed through by Varun, on the shorter side, at the top of the off stump, Maxwell stays leg side of the ball and tries to use the pace of the ball by opening the face of the bat. Fails to lay any bat on it as the ball sneaks past the blade to clatter into the top of the off pole. Maxwell goes for just 7 (8) and the Punjab Kings are now 172/3.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Varun spots the batter backing away and follows him, Iyer can only push it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, Four!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Keeps it away from the batter's reach, slower and shorter, Shreyas Iyer slaps it hard but can't get it past extra cover. Just a single.
Strategic Break.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, Drags the length back and it is a bit quicker, on middle, Shreyas Iyer turns it off the pads to deep square leg for a single. Good last 12 balls for KKR. Just 9 runs off it and the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Narine offers flight, full and on middle and leg, Glenn Maxwell has a hack across the line. He is early into the shot and ends up dragging it towards deep square leg for one.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, On off, on a nagging length, Iyer dabs it to backward point and gets to the other end.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, 2 runs.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, At the stumps, short in length, Glenn Maxwell tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Turning into the right-hander, on the shorter side, Glenn Maxwell has a swipe across the line but misses and wears it on the pads.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, On off, on a length, Glenn Maxwell goes hard on the drive but miscues it away on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Who walks in next?
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TAKEN! An innocuous delivery but it fetches Vaibhav Arora a wicket. KKR will take it with both hands. End of a fine knock from Prabhsimran Singh.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, On off, off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, steered in front of short third for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Near the tramline on off, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh carves it away to deep third for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Pushed through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg, Singh cuts it to deep point for a single. 19 runs off the over.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Prabhsimran Singh is rampant!Â
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! All the way! Floated up, right in the slot, middle, the ball spins into the batter and Prabhsimran Singh makes the most of it. Nails the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a six.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Catch dropped in the deep!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Full on middle, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the slog sweep and gets it wide of the deep mid-wicket fielder who runs to his left but can't there. The ball goes on the bounce to the boundary.
Harshit Rana just landed on his left shoulder, on one of those practice pitches and looks in some discomfort.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Full and well outside off, Shreyas Iyer reaches out to it as he gets some bat and gets it over short third. The man from deep point runs to his left and cuts it off near the boundary. Good effort that from Harshit Rana in the deep. Two runs taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Chetan Sakariya switches to over the wicket and bowls a full toss, on off, Prabhsimran Singh flat bats it along the ground to long off for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, !
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! That's a copy paste of the previous delivery! Slower again on middle, Prabhsimran Singh waits a bit again as he makes some room and plays the steer in the gap between backward point and short third man for another four.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Four!
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Pace off delivery on a length, on off, Shreyas Iyer just opens the bat face and guides it to short third for a single.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on middle leg, Shreyas Iyer goes for the flick and gets a leading edge that flies to the left of Andre Russell who puts out his left hand but can't get anywhere close to it. The ball goes rolling along the ground to long off. Single taken.
PBKS skipper, Shreyas Iyer, is in at number 3.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! CAUGHT! Finally some relief for KKR! And it's that man again, Andre Russell the partnership breaker! The off cutter delivery, that lands on a length, just outside off, Priyansh Arya lines up for the pull and gets a bit of an top edge as it carries towards deep mid-wicket, where Vaibhav Arora takes a relatively easy catch.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! Priyansh Arya what a talent!
Andre Russell to Prabhsimran Singh, Yorker on middle, Prabhsimran Singh flicks this along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Free Hit has been used up well! Slower and wide outside off, a touch fuller, Prabhsimran Singh takes a step across and lofts this one over long off for a six. Oh, these two openers are making a mockery of the KKR bowlers.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Andre Russell is summoned into the attack now. He replaces Harshit Rana.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No ball! Full on leg stump, Prabhsimran Singh lines up for the switch hit as he turns across and plays it on the bounce to short cover. Oh he didn't get it anywhere off the middle of the bat. Free-hit coming up.Â
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up, on middle, Priyansh Arya nudges it to mid-wicket and crosses over.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Drags the length back, shorter and on off, Prabhsimran Singh knocks it to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Innovative and mighty effective! Floated up, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh switches his stance and plays the switch hit. Deposits it over deep point for a biggie. The 100 is up for the Kings!
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the reverse sweep and gets beaten as the ball hits his gloves and deflects on the front pad. A loud appeal for LBW and the bowling side go for the review. Oh that might be a waste. Anyways, third umpire on screen. Here's the slow motion view. The ball has clearly hit the gloves and then deflected on the pads. NOT and the onfield call stays. KKR lose a review.
A review for LBW.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, ! Take that! Slower through the air, shorter off break on middle, Priyansh Arya skips down the track and lofts this one over long on for a six.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Oh he is toying with Harshit Rana here, is Priyansh Arya! Slower delivery on a length, on middle, Priyansh Arya calmly flicks this one behind the wickets, fine enough to evade the short fine leg fielder for four.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, !
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Timing on that was WOW! Slower delivery, just outside off, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya stands tall and lofts this one with ease over covers for four.Â
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower one, full delivery on off, Prabhsimran Singh lines up to go big as he sits down on one knee and looks to play the slog sweep. He can't get it off the middle of the bat, as the ball goes along the ground to short mid-wicket.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Full toss on middle, Prabhsimran Singh looks to loft this one over covers, but the ball hits him high on the bat and goes on the bounce to short cover. Batters take a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Flat and short, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, In the air...but just short! Slower through the air, tossed up, off break, on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the release shot as he plays the slog sweep. The ball goes up in the air in the gap between deep mid-wicket and square leg. Sakariya from deep mid-wicket runs in and puts in the dive but can't get any hands to it. Batters run a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Slower through the air, a touch full on off, Priyansh Arya defends it off the front foot with soft hands to short cover. Another dot.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Short on off, Priyansh Arya pushes it off the back foot to short mid-wicket. Dot ball.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower and fuller on middle, Prabhsimran Singh pushes it off the front foot into the leg side and takes a single. The deep mid-wicket fielder runs in and collects the ball.
STRATEGIC BREAK! Punjab Kings have gone about their business with a good mix of caution and aggression and will be quite pleased with the foundation their openers have laid. As the ball gets older and loses its hardness, shot-making could become more difficult, and that's where the solid start will be crucial. As for KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be key in this middle phase as they look to put the brakes on the scoring and create pressure through wickets.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, A touch short and quick, on middle leg, Prabhsimran Singh pulls it, along the ground, to the left of deep square leg and picks up two runs as the deep square leg fielder cuts it off near the boundary.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Quick, short, outside off, Priyansh Arya cuts it to the left of deep extra cover for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, ! Belted! Quick full on middle, Priyansh Arya slogs this one way over deep mid-wicket for a big six. Oh, he middled it to perfection.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full on middle-leg, Priyansh Arya plays it along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower off break, on a good length, on off stump, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the scoop and gets it off the inside half of the bat to short fine leg for a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full, just outside off, Priyansh Arya flicks it along the ground, off the front foot, to deep mid-wicket for a single.
The head coach of the Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, is in for a chat. Ponting says he is happy with how the openers play with the intent the team wants.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Another beauty!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, JAFFA! A wrong'un, landing just around off and spinning away, Prabhsimran Singh gets beaten as he looks to sweep it away.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Pitching outside leg, fullish in length, Priyansh Arya steers it along the ground, through square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Dragged length, this time, on a tight line, on middle and leg. Priyansh Arya pushes it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Drifting across off, on a length, Arya hangs back and pats it to the point region.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy is into the attack now. Dishes it out on a length, on the middle, Prabhsimran Singh turns it across to the leg side, behind square for a single.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, Nagging length, angling on the off stump line, Priyansh Arya works it to backward point. Another over that goes for double figures. 11 runs off it.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Over the top of middle, on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh hags on the back foot and taps it with soft hands. Runs a quick single as the ball rolls toward cover.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, at the stumps, Prabhsimran Singh clips it to the short mid-wicket region.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TOP SHOT!
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, BEATEN! Hurls it fuller and angling on the leg stump line, slightly nipping back in. Prabhsimran Singh tries to whip it across into the leg side, but gets beaten and the ball passes close to the leg stump, on the way to the keeper.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Cleverly played! Back of a length, shaping way, Prabhsimran Singh leans back and plays it very late. Opens the bat face and glides it over short third for a boundary.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Through the gap again! A bit too short and just on top of off, Arya stands tall and pulls it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. 18 off Sakariya's second. 30 off the last two overs.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Dragged length, on the middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh turns it to the mid-wicket region for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! In control!
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, WIDE! Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a muted appeal for caught behind, but he is the only one interested. Shaping down the leg stump, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh misses to pull and Gurbaz dives to his left to grab the ball. Wide called.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Around off, on the good length, placed into the off side for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Lovely hands! Priyansh is dealing in fours, his fifth so far.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, a slower one at 110.4 kph, on the leg stump. Prabhsimran Singh shuffles and stays leg side of the ball, drives it to the left of mid off for a quick single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Placed nicely! Fuller one, angling on the stumps, Priyansh Arya lofts it wide of cover for a boundary to end the over. 12 off it.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, A toe-crushing yorker at 132.4 kph, shaping in on the leg stump, Priyansh Arya carves it out and squeezes it to the off side.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, WIDE! Down the leg side, on a length, Priyansh Arya misses to work it across. Wide given.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Four!
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, An attempted yorker, tailing back in on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it across, along the ground to deep square leg. Gets a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Angling far across the off stump, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya lofts it over cover-point for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, A gentle-paced delivery, angling across off on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh cuts it away to backward point. So far, so good from Chetan Sakariya.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, At 132 kph, full and on the leg stump line, Prabhsimran Singh charges forward and drills it to the left of long on for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, An excellent over from Sakariya. Just three singles off it. Angling back into the batter, on top of middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh steers it across to the backward square leg region for a single.
Halt! Chetan Sakariya is having some trouble with the landing area.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Shaping back into the leg stump, on a short length, Priyansh Arya gets on his toes, and tucks it into the leg side, from the cue end of the bat. A single taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Back of a length, outside off, guided down to deep third for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Around off, a tad full in length, Prabhsimran Singh steps out of the crease and resorts to ease it into the off side.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, From over the stumps, Chetan bowls it fuller, and angles it back into the batter, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh blocks it off into the leg side.
On debut for KKR, Chetan Sakariya will operate from the other end.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! A left-hander's delight! In control! Shapes away from the batter, across off, full in length, Priyansh Arya leans into the drive and cracks the cover drive with precision for a boundary. A good positive start for PBKS, they are 10/0.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Another one that tails back in, on the pads, on the good length, Prabhsimran Singh gets half forward and tucks it to the mid-wicket region for a single. Gets off the mark, does Prabhsimran.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, This one shapes back in, at a gentle pace of 128.5 kph, on a length, at off, Prabhsimran Singh stabs it onto the surface.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Swings away from the batter, on off and slightly fuller, Prabhsimran Singh drives it off the front foot, straight to mid off.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Drags the length a bit back, around off, worked through backward point for a single by Arya.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Eased away! Punjab Kings and Priyansh Arya are up and running in style! Vaibhav bowls it too full and shapes away from middle, Priyansh Arya prods forward and caresses it through the cover and mid off gap for a boundary.
We are all set to get going. Ajinkya Rahane has some final words for his team in the huddle. Out walk the two openers of the Punjab Kings, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Vaibhav Arora will open the attack for the Knight Riders. The countdown is done. Here we go!
The captain of Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer, says that since they are playing on the same deck as the last game KKR played on, it is good to bat based on the cracks in the pitch. About playing in Kolkata, he says it feels nostalgic and it is just another day to embrace for him. Adds they had a few days to see and plan on how they can counter certain conditions, and tells that it is up to their ability on how they can win matches from different situations. Informs the two changes - Glenn Maxwell a
The skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane, says, it doesnât matter when you lose the toss, about whether they would have batted or bowled first. He believes itâs about playing good cricket. He mentions that they know this wicket in and out about how it plays throughout the game. States that the positives for their side have been their bowling unit, which has bowled well. Adds that the bowling unit has improved every game. Says that the batters are disappointed with their effort
Impact players nominated by PBKS - Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Suryansh Shedge.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(C), Josh Inglis(WK), Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact players nominated by KKR - Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy and Luvnith Sisodia.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Sunil Narine, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ajinkya Rahane (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
TOSS - Punjab Kings win the flip of the coin and they will BAT first.
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Well then, 202 is the magic number for KKR to end their two-match losing streak. It won't be easy by any means, as their batting order has faltered in recent games. And their middle order, especially, will be tested against the quality bowling unit of PBKS. Roll back the calendars to 2024, on this very day, Punjab Kings chased a mammoth 262 target against KKR. Can the Knight Riders flip the script this time around? Back in a bit with the run chase. Stay tuned.
With the score at 160/1 in the 15th over, Prabhsimran's dismissal triggered a momentum shift as KKR fought back with two quick wickets, including the prized scalp of Maxwell. Shreyas Iyer remained resolute, anchoring one end with a commendable captain's knock while wickets tumbled at the other, preventing PBKS from fully capitalizing on their explosive start. Despite the late stumble, where they could only hit four boundaries and a solitary six, they still managed to breach the imposing 200-run
Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings is up for a quick chat. He says it is a very good total on the board. He feels the wicket is on the slower side and the plan was to rotate the strike after the Powerplay and try to take the game deep. He mentions that he enjoys batting with Prabhsimran Singh, who guides him on which bowlers to target. Arya adds that the trust shown by Ricky Ponting gives him a lot of confidence to play his natural game.
Priyansh Arya crafted a flawless fifty, maximizing rewards while minimizing risks, before both openers shifted gears to target the spinners. PBKS cruised at a commanding 10 runs per over until Andre Russell finally intervened to break their formidable 120-run opening partnership. Undeterred at the other end, though, Prabhsimran Singh too raced away to his fifty and just took the attack masterfully.
With the pitch expected to punish aggression against the aging ball, the openers' rock-solid foundation proved invaluable as they capitalized on every loose delivery sent their way. However, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine's crafty spin bowling limited the batters to calculated strike rotation. The pacers, hence, became natural targets as the openers shrewdly navigated this dual-paced challenge and maintained a strong run rate.Â
On the slow-paced deck, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showcased tactical brilliance with their uncharacteristically watchful start. After taking a couple of overs to gauge the conditions, they methodically accelerated with well-timed boundaries, though never sacrificing technique for theatrics, which perfectly suited the surface. Though KKR's pacers bowled reasonably well, they couldn't pick any wickets and as a result, PBKS went unblemished in the Powerplay, with 56 on the
A marginal comeback from KKR's perspective as they only gave 40 runs in the last five overs, which included good death bowling from Andre Russell and Vaibhav Arora. Only one of the last five overs went into double digits, and with six wickets in hand, it was indeed a good pullback from the hosts in the last few overs. However, despite all that, PBKS have managed to post a very challenging total and have yet again crossed the 200 figure.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, A dot to end the innings! Andre Russell attempts a yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, Josh Inglis backs away but is a bit cramped for room and cannot get his hands through the ball. Gets beaten on the outside edge. The ball goes through to the keeper and the batters try to sneak in a bye but Rahmanullah Gurbaz is quick to release the ball and prevent the single. The Kings end up with 201 on the board!
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, ! Squeezed away by Josh Inglis and that brings up the 200 for the Kings! Tailing in at the toes, very full, Inglis clears his front leg and flicks it away to the right of the man at backward square leg inside the circle for a boundary.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Superb stuff from Andre Russell! Keeps it nice and full, on middle, Josh Inglis skips down the track to take it on the full. Plays it to the left of the bowler for the third single of the over.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Nails the yorker, at the stumps, Shreyas Iyer backs away and tries to get under the ball to glide it over short third. It gets lobbed in front of short third for just a single.
Andre Russell (2-0-19-1) will bowl the final over of the first innings. Also, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes in as the Impact Sub for KKR, in place of Chetan Sakariya.
Andre Russell to Josh Inglis, Gets it very full, does Andre Russell, on off, Josh Inglis knocks it in front of extra cover for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, 1 run.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, ! Thumped! Vaibhav Arora goes short but this just sits up to be hit and offers width too. Shreyas Iyer hangs on the back foot and pumps it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary. Another over that is spoiled somewhat from a KKR perspective with a boundary on the last ball. 35 runs off the last 30 balls.
Vaibhav Arora to Josh Inglis, ! Audacious! Vaibhav Arora bends his back and digs in a slower bumper, over off, Josh Inglis is quick to change his stance and plays the reverse scoop over short third for a boundary.
Josh Inglis is in at number 6.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, ! TAKEN! Marco Jansen holes out!
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, Another swing and a miss! On a short of a length, outside off, Marco Jansen shuffles across and swings for the hills but connects with thin air.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! A perfect end to the over for the Kings! An over where Kolkata Knight Riders should have had Shreyas Iyer ends with a six. Andre Russell takes pace off and goes into the wicket. It sits up to be hit and Iyer flat bats it over long on for a six.
Vaibhav Arora to Marco Jansen, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to bowl the 19th over. He is 3-0-25-1 so far.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, So far, so good from Andre Russell! Right in the blockhole, on middle, Marco Jansen can only dig this one out.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, ! Vaibhav Arora puts it down! Andre Russell goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on the pads. Shreyas Iyer picks it up off his pads and whips it flat towards deep backward square leg. Vaibhav Arora is late to react in the deep and has to put in the dive ahead. The ball just about carries to him but he fails to cling on. A single taken.
Andre Russell to Marco Jansen, Another well-executed yorker, at the stumps, Marco Jansen gets his bat down to jam it out. The ball rolls near his feet and he gets called through for a quick single by Iyer.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell nails the yorker, at the base of the leg stump, Shreyas Iyer flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, On a nagging length, on middle, Shreyas Iyer hangs back and nudges it to mid-wicket for a single. Another good over for KKR. 7 runs off the over. Last 18 balls have gone for just 16 runs.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Marco Jansen, Floated up, on off, Marco Jansen presses forward and pushes it wide of cover for a single.
Marco Jansen is in at number 5.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, ! TIMBER! Varun Chakaravarthy wins the battle against Glenn Maxwell. Pushed through by Varun, on the shorter side, at the top of the off stump, Maxwell stays leg side of the ball and tries to use the pace of the ball by opening the face of the bat. Fails to lay any bat on it as the ball sneaks past the blade to clatter into the top of the off pole. Maxwell goes for just 7 (8) and the Punjab Kings are now 172/3.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Varun spots the batter backing away and follows him, Iyer can only push it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Glenn Maxwell, Four!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Shreyas Iyer, Keeps it away from the batter's reach, slower and shorter, Shreyas Iyer slaps it hard but can't get it past extra cover. Just a single.
Strategic Break.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, Drags the length back and it is a bit quicker, on middle, Shreyas Iyer turns it off the pads to deep square leg for a single. Good last 12 balls for KKR. Just 9 runs off it and the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Narine offers flight, full and on middle and leg, Glenn Maxwell has a hack across the line. He is early into the shot and ends up dragging it towards deep square leg for one.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, On off, on a nagging length, Iyer dabs it to backward point and gets to the other end.
Sunil Narine to Shreyas Iyer, 2 runs.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, At the stumps, short in length, Glenn Maxwell tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Glenn Maxwell, Turning into the right-hander, on the shorter side, Glenn Maxwell has a swipe across the line but misses and wears it on the pads.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, On off, on a length, Glenn Maxwell goes hard on the drive but miscues it away on the leg side for a single to get off the mark.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Vaibhav Arora to Glenn Maxwell, No run.
Who walks in next?
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TAKEN! An innocuous delivery but it fetches Vaibhav Arora a wicket. KKR will take it with both hands. End of a fine knock from Prabhsimran Singh.
Vaibhav Arora to Shreyas Iyer, On off, off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, steered in front of short third for a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Near the tramline on off, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh carves it away to deep third for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Pushed through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg, Singh cuts it to deep point for a single. 19 runs off the over.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Prabhsimran Singh is rampant!Â
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! All the way! Floated up, right in the slot, middle, the ball spins into the batter and Prabhsimran Singh makes the most of it. Nails the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a six.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Catch dropped in the deep!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Full on middle, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the slog sweep and gets it wide of the deep mid-wicket fielder who runs to his left but can't there. The ball goes on the bounce to the boundary.
Harshit Rana just landed on his left shoulder, on one of those practice pitches and looks in some discomfort.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Full and well outside off, Shreyas Iyer reaches out to it as he gets some bat and gets it over short third. The man from deep point runs to his left and cuts it off near the boundary. Good effort that from Harshit Rana in the deep. Two runs taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Chetan Sakariya switches to over the wicket and bowls a full toss, on off, Prabhsimran Singh flat bats it along the ground to long off for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, !
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! That's a copy paste of the previous delivery! Slower again on middle, Prabhsimran Singh waits a bit again as he makes some room and plays the steer in the gap between backward point and short third man for another four.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Four!
Chetan Sakariya to Shreyas Iyer, Pace off delivery on a length, on off, Shreyas Iyer just opens the bat face and guides it to short third for a single.
Andre Russell to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on middle leg, Shreyas Iyer goes for the flick and gets a leading edge that flies to the left of Andre Russell who puts out his left hand but can't get anywhere close to it. The ball goes rolling along the ground to long off. Single taken.
PBKS skipper, Shreyas Iyer, is in at number 3.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! CAUGHT! Finally some relief for KKR! And it's that man again, Andre Russell the partnership breaker! The off cutter delivery, that lands on a length, just outside off, Priyansh Arya lines up for the pull and gets a bit of an top edge as it carries towards deep mid-wicket, where Vaibhav Arora takes a relatively easy catch.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, ! Priyansh Arya what a talent!
Andre Russell to Prabhsimran Singh, Yorker on middle, Prabhsimran Singh flicks this along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Free Hit has been used up well! Slower and wide outside off, a touch fuller, Prabhsimran Singh takes a step across and lofts this one over long off for a six. Oh, these two openers are making a mockery of the KKR bowlers.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Andre Russell to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Andre Russell is summoned into the attack now. He replaces Harshit Rana.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No ball! Full on leg stump, Prabhsimran Singh lines up for the switch hit as he turns across and plays it on the bounce to short cover. Oh he didn't get it anywhere off the middle of the bat. Free-hit coming up.Â
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up, on middle, Priyansh Arya nudges it to mid-wicket and crosses over.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Drags the length back, shorter and on off, Prabhsimran Singh knocks it to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Innovative and mighty effective! Floated up, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh switches his stance and plays the switch hit. Deposits it over deep point for a biggie. The 100 is up for the Kings!
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Tossed up on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the reverse sweep and gets beaten as the ball hits his gloves and deflects on the front pad. A loud appeal for LBW and the bowling side go for the review. Oh that might be a waste. Anyways, third umpire on screen. Here's the slow motion view. The ball has clearly hit the gloves and then deflected on the pads. NOT and the onfield call stays. KKR lose a review.
A review for LBW.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, ! Take that! Slower through the air, shorter off break on middle, Priyansh Arya skips down the track and lofts this one over long on for a six.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, 1 run.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Oh he is toying with Harshit Rana here, is Priyansh Arya! Slower delivery on a length, on middle, Priyansh Arya calmly flicks this one behind the wickets, fine enough to evade the short fine leg fielder for four.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, !
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, ! Timing on that was WOW! Slower delivery, just outside off, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya stands tall and lofts this one with ease over covers for four.Â
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower one, full delivery on off, Prabhsimran Singh lines up to go big as he sits down on one knee and looks to play the slog sweep. He can't get it off the middle of the bat, as the ball goes along the ground to short mid-wicket.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Full toss on middle, Prabhsimran Singh looks to loft this one over covers, but the ball hits him high on the bat and goes on the bounce to short cover. Batters take a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Flat and short, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, In the air...but just short! Slower through the air, tossed up, off break, on middle, Priyansh Arya goes for the release shot as he plays the slog sweep. The ball goes up in the air in the gap between deep mid-wicket and square leg. Sakariya from deep mid-wicket runs in and puts in the dive but can't get any hands to it. Batters run a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Slower through the air, a touch full on off, Priyansh Arya defends it off the front foot with soft hands to short cover. Another dot.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Short on off, Priyansh Arya pushes it off the back foot to short mid-wicket. Dot ball.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower and fuller on middle, Prabhsimran Singh pushes it off the front foot into the leg side and takes a single. The deep mid-wicket fielder runs in and collects the ball.
STRATEGIC BREAK! Punjab Kings have gone about their business with a good mix of caution and aggression and will be quite pleased with the foundation their openers have laid. As the ball gets older and loses its hardness, shot-making could become more difficult, and that's where the solid start will be crucial. As for KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be key in this middle phase as they look to put the brakes on the scoring and create pressure through wickets.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, A touch short and quick, on middle leg, Prabhsimran Singh pulls it, along the ground, to the left of deep square leg and picks up two runs as the deep square leg fielder cuts it off near the boundary.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, No run.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Quick, short, outside off, Priyansh Arya cuts it to the left of deep extra cover for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, ! Belted! Quick full on middle, Priyansh Arya slogs this one way over deep mid-wicket for a big six. Oh, he middled it to perfection.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, 1 run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full on middle-leg, Priyansh Arya plays it along the ground to long on for a single.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, No run.
Sunil Narine to Prabhsimran Singh, Slower off break, on a good length, on off stump, Prabhsimran Singh goes for the scoop and gets it off the inside half of the bat to short fine leg for a single.Â
Sunil Narine to Priyansh Arya, Full, just outside off, Priyansh Arya flicks it along the ground, off the front foot, to deep mid-wicket for a single.
The head coach of the Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, is in for a chat. Ponting says he is happy with how the openers play with the intent the team wants.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Another beauty!
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, JAFFA! A wrong'un, landing just around off and spinning away, Prabhsimran Singh gets beaten as he looks to sweep it away.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Pitching outside leg, fullish in length, Priyansh Arya steers it along the ground, through square leg for a single.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Dragged length, this time, on a tight line, on middle and leg. Priyansh Arya pushes it back to the bowler.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Priyansh Arya, Drifting across off, on a length, Arya hangs back and pats it to the point region.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Prabhsimran Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy is into the attack now. Dishes it out on a length, on the middle, Prabhsimran Singh turns it across to the leg side, behind square for a single.
Harshit Rana to Priyansh Arya, Nagging length, angling on the off stump line, Priyansh Arya works it to backward point. Another over that goes for double figures. 11 runs off it.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Over the top of middle, on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh hags on the back foot and taps it with soft hands. Runs a quick single as the ball rolls toward cover.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, at the stumps, Prabhsimran Singh clips it to the short mid-wicket region.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! TOP SHOT!
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, BEATEN! Hurls it fuller and angling on the leg stump line, slightly nipping back in. Prabhsimran Singh tries to whip it across into the leg side, but gets beaten and the ball passes close to the leg stump, on the way to the keeper.
Harshit Rana to Prabhsimran Singh, ! Cleverly played! Back of a length, shaping way, Prabhsimran Singh leans back and plays it very late. Opens the bat face and glides it over short third for a boundary.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Through the gap again! A bit too short and just on top of off, Arya stands tall and pulls it through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. 18 off Sakariya's second. 30 off the last two overs.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Dragged length, on the middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh turns it to the mid-wicket region for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, ! In control!
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, WIDE! Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a muted appeal for caught behind, but he is the only one interested. Shaping down the leg stump, on a length, Prabhsimran Singh misses to pull and Gurbaz dives to his left to grab the ball. Wide called.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Around off, on the good length, placed into the off side for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, ! Lovely hands! Priyansh is dealing in fours, his fifth so far.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Fuller in length, a slower one at 110.4 kph, on the leg stump. Prabhsimran Singh shuffles and stays leg side of the ball, drives it to the left of mid off for a quick single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Placed nicely! Fuller one, angling on the stumps, Priyansh Arya lofts it wide of cover for a boundary to end the over. 12 off it.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, A toe-crushing yorker at 132.4 kph, shaping in on the leg stump, Priyansh Arya carves it out and squeezes it to the off side.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, WIDE! Down the leg side, on a length, Priyansh Arya misses to work it across. Wide given.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Four!
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, An attempted yorker, tailing back in on middle, Prabhsimran Singh whips it across, along the ground to deep square leg. Gets a single.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Angling far across the off stump, fuller in length, Priyansh Arya lofts it over cover-point for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, A gentle-paced delivery, angling across off on a hard length, Prabhsimran Singh cuts it away to backward point. So far, so good from Chetan Sakariya.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, At 132 kph, full and on the leg stump line, Prabhsimran Singh charges forward and drills it to the left of long on for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, An excellent over from Sakariya. Just three singles off it. Angling back into the batter, on top of middle and leg, Prabhsimran Singh steers it across to the backward square leg region for a single.
Halt! Chetan Sakariya is having some trouble with the landing area.
Chetan Sakariya to Priyansh Arya, Shaping back into the leg stump, on a short length, Priyansh Arya gets on his toes, and tucks it into the leg side, from the cue end of the bat. A single taken.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Back of a length, outside off, guided down to deep third for a single.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, Around off, a tad full in length, Prabhsimran Singh steps out of the crease and resorts to ease it into the off side.
Chetan Sakariya to Prabhsimran Singh, From over the stumps, Chetan bowls it fuller, and angles it back into the batter, on middle, Prabhsimran Singh blocks it off into the leg side.
On debut for KKR, Chetan Sakariya will operate from the other end.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! A left-hander's delight! In control! Shapes away from the batter, across off, full in length, Priyansh Arya leans into the drive and cracks the cover drive with precision for a boundary. A good positive start for PBKS, they are 10/0.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Another one that tails back in, on the pads, on the good length, Prabhsimran Singh gets half forward and tucks it to the mid-wicket region for a single. Gets off the mark, does Prabhsimran.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, This one shapes back in, at a gentle pace of 128.5 kph, on a length, at off, Prabhsimran Singh stabs it onto the surface.
Vaibhav Arora to Prabhsimran Singh, Swings away from the batter, on off and slightly fuller, Prabhsimran Singh drives it off the front foot, straight to mid off.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, Drags the length a bit back, around off, worked through backward point for a single by Arya.
Vaibhav Arora to Priyansh Arya, ! Eased away! Punjab Kings and Priyansh Arya are up and running in style! Vaibhav bowls it too full and shapes away from middle, Priyansh Arya prods forward and caresses it through the cover and mid off gap for a boundary.
We are all set to get going. Ajinkya Rahane has some final words for his team in the huddle. Out walk the two openers of the Punjab Kings, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Vaibhav Arora will open the attack for the Knight Riders. The countdown is done. Here we go!
The captain of Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer, says that since they are playing on the same deck as the last game KKR played on, it is good to bat based on the cracks in the pitch. About playing in Kolkata, he says it feels nostalgic and it is just another day to embrace for him. Adds they had a few days to see and plan on how they can counter certain conditions, and tells that it is up to their ability on how they can win matches from different situations. Informs the two changes - Glenn Maxwell a
The skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane, says, it doesnât matter when you lose the toss, about whether they would have batted or bowled first. He believes itâs about playing good cricket. He mentions that they know this wicket in and out about how it plays throughout the game. States that the positives for their side have been their bowling unit, which has bowled well. Adds that the bowling unit has improved every game. Says that the batters are disappointed with their effort
Impact players nominated by PBKS - Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Suryansh Shedge.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(C), Josh Inglis(WK), Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact players nominated by KKR - Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy and Luvnith Sisodia.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Sunil Narine, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ajinkya Rahane (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
TOSS - Punjab Kings win the flip of the coin and they will BAT first.