IPL 2023: Rain plays spoilsport as Punjab Kings ride luck against KKR to register 7-run win on DLS

By Anthony On Apr 1, 2023

Punjab Kings have kickstarted their Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 campaign on a winning note as they got the better of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday, April 1. Punjab won the contest by seven runs after rain played spoilsport with Arshdeep Singh scalping three wickets with the ball.

Punjab start on winning note

Asked to chase 192 runs, KKR did not have the best of starts and lost three wickets in the powerplay. The likes of Mandeep Singh, Anukul Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz all departed in quick succession as KKR were left to play catch-up. However, a useful partnership between Venkatesh Iyer (34 off 28) and Nitish Rana (24 off 17) saw the two-time champions stay in the hunt.

But KKR again lost way and were 146/7 in 16 overs before the rain started to play a part. Needing 46 runs to win in 24 balls, KKR had lost seven wickets and paid a price for the poor start and lost the contest by seven runs on the DLS method.

An explosive half-century by Bhanuka Rajapaksa and his 86-run stand with skipper Shikhar Dhawan helped Punjab Kings reach a competitive total of 191/5 against Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the home setting of Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Saturday.

After being put to bat first by KKR, PBKS got off to a solid start. Opener Prabhsimran Singh provided some early blitz, smashing Umesh Yadav for a six over the square leg on the fourth ball of the innings. Tim Southee was also smashed for two successive fours and a six in the second over. He was the pick of the bowlers for KKR, taking 2/54 in his four overs, while Narine, Varun and Umesh also got a wicket each.

KKR will next take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, April 4. On the horizon, Punjab Kings will take on last season’s finalist Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.

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