In the RCB VS PBKS game, Punjab’s KL Rahul and Harpreet Brar stunned RCB to win by 34 runs. Batting first, PBKS put a challenging target of 180 on the board thanks to KL Rahul’s 91 off 57. In reply, RCB was stunned by young Harpreet Brar who scalped 3 crucial wickets and gave away only 19 runs.
PBKS Inning Highlight
Winning the toss, RCB skipper inserted Punjab Kings to bat first. PBKS walked in with a new opening duo of Prabhsimran Singh and KL Rahul. Mayank Agarwal had to sit out owing to his injury and his absence was truly felt in the opening phase of the game.
In the 3rd over, Singh, who looked extra aggressive, threw his wicket away by hitting Jamieson straight to RCB skipper Kohli. He perished scoring just 7 off 7. Jamieson, who looked thrilled to have shaken PBKS in the third over itself was given a smashing to remember by Gayle the same over. Gayle hit him with 5 boundaries in the same over. Had he slammed another boundry, he would’ve matched Mavi and Rahane’s feat of hitting 6 boundaries in an over.
Gayle continued doing what he’s known for, invoking the Gayle storm and wreaking havoc. He went after Chahal and pummeled him for multiple sixes. The duo of KL Rahul and Gayle continued with their aggression and quickly stitched a partnership of 80 off 45. However, the Gayle storm didn’t last long as he tried to pull a shot delivery but gloved it to de Villiers. Gayle laid a good foundation through his inning of 46 off 24 that had 6 boundaries and 2 sixes.
After Gayle, Pooran came to the middle, hoping to redeem himself off his previous few innings. But he continued on his journey of hunting ducks and bagged his fourth one this year. Jamieson bowled a short one to him but the bowl found the shoulder of the bat and it was soon deposited to Shahbaz Ahmed.
PBKS were shaken and stirred in the next few overs as Hooda and Shahrukh Khan both came and perished scoring 5 and a duck, respectively. With half of the team in the dressing room at 118/5 and only 5 overs remaining, the PBKS found respite in KL Rahul and Brar’s inning in the death overs.
The duo added 61 off 32 balls to crawl its way to a respectable total. The 18th over was one of the biggest of the games as 18 runs came out of it. KL Rahul’s fans were hoping for him to score a century, but that could not happen. He although did all he could to add more runs as he hit multiple fours and a maximum off Patel in the penultimate over.
KL Rahul’s unbeaten 91 off 57 and Brar’s 25 off 17 made sure that PBKS put a respectable total of 179 on the board and give the bowlers something to work for.
RCB Inning Highlight
Chasing a formidable total of 180, RCB started off well with captain Kohli opening his arms and hitting multiple boundaries. In the next over Padikkal smoked Meredith over point for a maximum, but it was Meredith who had the last laugh as bamboozled the batsman and bowled him over. The Kohli-led team couldn’t capitalize on the fiery start and was at a feeble 36/1 by the end of the powerplay.
As boundaries had dried up, Kohli opened his arms against Brar and hit the ball straight for a 4 to get a move on. But the same over, Brar took his revenge and timbered Kohli for 35 to take his first ever IPL wicket. It was as if this was Brar’s day, the next ball was a ripper, puzzling veteran Australian Maxwell and kissing the stumps to send him back for a golden duck.
RCB was slowly being choked by the young Punjabi all-rounder as he then took perhaps the most important wicket of the game. It was de Villiers, who RCB had all its hopes on. But the South African wicket-keeper batsman was hunted down by Brar as he was dismissed at 3 off 9.
Whatever little hope RCB was hanging on to vanished when Rajat Patidar, who was looking somewhat comfortable in the middle, swung his bat, mistiming the shot. The ball went high but not high enough as it was caught by Pooran at long on.
In the next over, Bishnoi scalped two more wickets and got rid of Shahbaz Ahmed and Daniel Sams in two back-to-back deliveries. RCB was left whimpering 96/7 with only 4 overs remaining. Kyle Jamieson and Harshal Patel although prolonged the inevitable, forming a 48-run stand for the 8th wicket. Unfortunately, the target was too far and the quota of 20 overs ended at RCB playing at 145/8.
