By Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a narrow two-run victory defending 182 runs, marking their third win in IPL 2024.
Ashutosh and Shashank’s late fireworks
In a thrilling finish reminiscent of their previous win, Punjab’s Ashutosh and Shashank Singh launched an exhilarating onslaught in the final overs. Needing 29 runs off the last over, Jaydev Unadkat’s bowling saw three wides and three dropped catches, two of which went for sixes. Ashutosh’s power hitting combined with Shashank’s smart strokeplay kept Punjab in the chase, but they fell short by just two runs in the end.
Arshdeep shines in powerplay
Punjab’s strong start was fueled by left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who picked up two key wickets in his opening spell. Despite some early boundaries, Arshdeep’s early strikes kept SRH in check. However, a resilient partnership between Nitish Reddy and Abdul Samad turned the tide in SRH’s favor, with Reddy’s explosive fifty and Samad’s crucial contributions.
PBKS fight back but fall short
Despite losing early wickets, SRH fought back with aggressive batting from Abhishek Sharma and a crucial partnership between Reddy and Samad. Punjab’s middle order, led by Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza, kept the chase alive with some quick runs, but SRH’s tight bowling in the final overs sealed the win.
SRH’s strong start, Punjab’s late surge
SRH’s bowling, led by Pat Cummins and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, stifled Punjab’s batting in the powerplay, restricting them to the lowest total of the season. However, Punjab’s middle order fought back with cameos from Curran, Raza, and Jitesh Sharma. Despite their efforts, SRH’s tight bowling in the death overs proved decisive, securing a narrow victory.
What’s next?
Punjab Kings will host Rajasthan Royals on April 13, while Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 15.
