Mulanpur: In an exciting conflict, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal changed the match with a remarkable magic of bowling, taking four important wickets, to help Punjab Kings (PBK) to win an incredible 16-run win over Punjab Cricket Association Stadium at Punjab Knight Riders (KKR).
Before this match, there were only two wickets before this season, Chahal proved his subtlety by claiming 4/28 and in this process assisted his team in defending the lowest clan in IPL history. Chasing a small 112, KKR dropped from 72/3 to 95 after 9 overs.
The method of collapse shook most of the KKR fans. Shot selection was poor and match awareness was still poor. They were well ahead of the asking rate and could win the game in the singles but kept losing wickets one after the other.
Appreciating Chahal’s performance, Ricky Ponting, a beaming head coach Ricky Ponting said: “The heart rate is still there. Two days ago, we could not chase 240 and thus small chase, wicket was easy.
Ponting said: “Even though we had lost that game, I could not be a proud for us in the second half, batting was bad, but if we went down in a close, I felt that it was a season to define a season. I hit half the way.
Earlier, PBKS had feared an exciting game after defeating Chennai Super Kings in a high scoring game, stunning the fans of the house as their team was excluded for just 111 in 15.3 overs, the second lowest in this season.
Prior to the match, there was a discussion around KKR’s bowling strength, especially the spinner and many things about the result of the match would depend on how PBK batsmen would match against him.
But even before giving the ball to the spinners, Pacer Harshit Rana did the initial harm to keep his team on top.
PBKS openers Prabhasran Singh and Priyash Arya started a flight to their team, but then Anrich Nortze, playing their first game in this season, and Rana helped KKR back into the game.
Arya was caught by Ramandip Singh in the long leg with Rana’s bowling in the fourth over, the flow of runs was closed. And when Captain Shres Iyer was sent back to two balls for two balls-Ramandip once again took a brilliant diving catch with a bowling, there was a collapse.
Spinner Varun Chakraborty removed Josh England in the next over and added to the PBKS crisis. And when Prabhasimran (30) was rejected by Rana, the domestic team was reduced to 54/4 in 6 overs.
Norteze took back his first wicket of the season by sending back in-form Nehal Wadera (10). Shashank Singh tried to achieve things and added a total of 18 runs.
The disappointing innings ended when another debut in the match, Xavier Bartlet, moved to the other end with Arshdeep Singh in the 16th over.
In response, the PBKS attack was inspired by Marco Jansen, who removed Sunil Narine (5) in the first over. Then, Bartlett has influenced his IPL debut by getting Quinton de Kock’s wicket for two runs.
Subsequently, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane (17) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37) took their team a useful 55-rran partnership and withdrew on the track and it seemed that they had enough to seal the victory for their team.
But then leg-spinner Chahal came in the picture. He started by taking Rahane’s wicket using his experience for 17 runs. Then, he ended Raghuvanshi’s stay, reduced KKR 72/4 in 9.1 overs.
This deteriorated for visitors when Glenn Maxwell pasted Venkatesh Iyer’s wicket in the next over.
Chahal maintained pressure from the other end, taking wickets of Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh. Russell followed him but in the end a big shot also played many.
KKR skipper Rahane said, “I will blame, played the wrong shot, missing, but it started from there.” “I did not want to take a chance at that time. The wicket was not so easy, (but) 111 was checked … I felt that we were careless, should take full responsibility as a unit. A lot of things are passing through my head. I need to really keep myself calm and wonder what I am going to talk to boys.”
