PBKS – Punjab Kings have been unable to finish their games on winning note in IPL 2024 due to top order failures. Finally, when they found their top order batters striking, they created history by chasing highest score ever in IPL history. They chased down impossible 260 runs target that too in 18.4 overs. Jonny Bairstow scored a huge century marking his return to form in IPL in a big way.
SRH have scored thrice more than 250 runs and now, KKR have scored 260 runs batting first against PBKS. Sam Curran, captaining Punjab team in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, chose to bowl first upon winning the toss. Openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine took on Punjab bowlers and put on 138-runs partnership for first wicket. Narine continued his exceptional form with bat and scored 71 runs from 32 balls.
Phil Salt continued the assault post Narine got out and scored 75 runs from 37 balls. Venkatesh Iyer(39), Andre Russell(24) and Shreyas Iyer(28) took the score to 261/6 in 20 overs. With such a huge total KKR looked like winning their sixth game and pushing the door further hard to IPL qualifiers.
PBKS sent Prabhsimran Singh and Jonny Bairstow to open the innings in the chase. While Bairstow did not find rhythm immediately, Prabhsimran Singh smacked KKR bowlers all over the park. He scored 54 runs in 20 balls giving momentum to PBKS innings. Rilee Rossouw(26) could not really kick on after a good start.
Shashank Singh joined Bairstow on fire and he did not let KKR bowlers any chance to come back into the match. He scored 68 runs from 28 balls with sensational hitting. Jonny Bairstow completed his century and hit 108 from 48 balls to take PBKS to a famous victory. Except for Narine, no bowler from both sides could bowl under an economy rate of 10.00.
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