Mumbai: The Punjab Kings (PBKS) bounced back in style to defeat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium.
Liam Livingstone scored his maiden IPL half-century to led Punjab Kings’ comprehensive victory over CSK by 54 runs. He claimed two crucial wickets with the ball as well.
Batting first, Punjab Kings skipper Mayank Agarwal was caught inside the circle and Bhanuka Rajapaksa was run out for 9. We witnessed some spectacular fielding from MS Dhoni and Chris Jordan behind that. However, Liam Livingstone arrived in style to crunch four fours and three giant sixes. Shikhar Dhawan supported Livingstone with his power strokes and Punjab Kings were 72/2 at the end of powerplay.
Livingstone was dropped by Rayudu off Jadeja’s bowling, later completed his maiden IPL fifty as Punjab Kings sailed past hundred in the 10th over. CSK bounced back well, scalping two wickets within two overs to dismiss Dhawan and Livingstone. Jadeja led from the front to take the crucial wicket of Livingstone as Bravo hunted for Dhawan. Debutant Jitesh Sharma kept the momentum on track for Punjab Kings. Playing confidently, the right-handed batsman hooped three sixes. Dwaine Pretorius dissmissed Sharma for 26.
Punjab Kings were 152 losing six wickets. Jordan scalped his second wicket of the innings to dismiss Odean Smith. Rahul Chahar smacked a four and a six before he was caught in the deep by Bravo. Dwayne Bravo conceded 4 runs in the final over to stop Punjab Kings with a total of 180 for 8.
Chasing a total of 181, CSK did not had their ideal start with the bat. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught in the slips by Dhawan while the other starter Robin Uthappa’s leading edge was taken by skipper Mayank Agarwal. Kagiso Rabada and Vaibhav Arora claimed a wicket each. Moeen ALi was dragged for a delivery onto the stumps as debutant Vaibhav Arora claimed his second wicket. Punjab Kings continued to mount pressure with the new ball. Chennai skipper Ravindra Jadeja went for a duck as Arora disturbed the timber in the final over of the powerplay when CSK were 27 for 4.
Troubles kept growing for CSK Odean Smith joined the wickets tally to dismiss Ambati Rayudu in the 8th over. As the asking rate kept notching up, Shivam Dube decided to counter-attack and smacked five fours and one six. Fifty partnership was up for the sixth wicket as 18 runs, after Dube hit consecutive sixes to reach fifty off just 26 deliveries.
PLayer of the match, Liam Livingstone ended the Dube-Dhoni stand by having two crucial wickets in successive deliveries. Dube was caught at short-third man and Bravo was caught and bowled. CSK required 74 off the final four before Dhoni hammered a four and a six against Livingstone. However, the former CSK skipper was caught behind following a sharp catch behind the stumps by debutant Jitesh Sharma. Chahar claimed his third wicket as Punjab Kings wrapped the CSK innings in the 18th over and won the game convincingly by 54 runs.
Brief Scores: Punjab Kings 180-8 (Liam Livingstone 60, Shikhar Dhawan 33; Chris Jordan 2-23) beat Chennai Super Kings 126 all out (Shivam Dube 57, MS Dhoni 23; Rahul Chahar 3-25) by 54 runs.
