IPL 2023| LSG vs PBKS; Punjab Kings Hand LSG their First Home Loss in a Tense Finish
Shahrukh Khan playing a powerful shot against LSG (AP Photo)
Punjab Kings have registered a morale-boosting win over LSG at the Ekana Stadium becoming the first team in IPL 2023 to beat LSG at home. PBKS came into this game without their regular skipper, Shikhar Dhawan but bowled with lot of heart to restrict LSG to a par score. Raza then showed his class finally with a brilliant fifty under pressure to seal the third win of the season for Punjab Kings.
Punjab Kings Come up with a Clinical Bowling Display
Sam Curran, the stand-in skipper of Punjab won an important toss and decided to bowl first with a hope of restricting LSG to a low score. It is exactly what he and rest of the PBKS bowlers did as they made a tremendous comeback despite a brisk start from LSG openers. Mayers was the first one to depart after a fifty-run opening stand and after that LSG batters just could not up the ante.
The spinners Harpreet Brar and Sikandar raza got wickets in the first half of the innings but it was the death bowling by the trio of Rabada, Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran that proved to be a game-changer. Rabada got two wickets in consecutive deliveries in the 15th over to bring Punjab back in the game and then Arshdeep and Curran were just top-notch at the death with Curran finishing with three wickets. KL Rahul was the one who guided LSG's innings and played a handy knock of 74 off 56 balls.
Sikandar Raza's Fifty and Shahrukh Khan's Cameo Seal a Dramatic Victory for PBKS
Punjab Kings had a young inexperienced opening pair in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan and it showed in their performance as both of them failed to make an impact. Matthew Short batted well again but failed to convert his start and lost his wicket at a wrong time for Punjab as they were reduced to 45-3 in the Powerplay. Harpreet Singh Bhatia played a run-a-ball 22 but it was the knock of Sikandar Raza that kept Punjab in the game. The Zimbabwean got his first IPL fifty but Bishnoi bowled well at the backend to take big wickets of Raza and Sam Curran.
However, Shahrukh Khan came out with great intent and smashed a six in his very first ball and despite some anxious moments in the end, finish off the game with three balls to spare.
Brief Score
Lucknow Super Giants: 159-8 (20)
KL Rahul 74 (56), Kyle Mayers 29 (23);
Sam Curran 3-31 (4), Kagiso Rabada 2-34 (4)
Punjab Kings: 161-8 (19.3)
Sikandar Raza 57 (41), Matthew Short 34 (22);
Yudhvir Singh Charak 2-19 (3), Ravi Bishnoi 2-18 (2.3)
Punjab Kings win by two wickets!!!
 "Aashay Chopade")
