Lucknow, April 1 (IANS) Punjab Kings put up a masterclass in both bowling and batting as they steamrolled Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets with 22 balls to spare in Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday. It was a ruthless display from the visitors, who outclassed LSG in all departments to claim their second consecutive win in the tournament.
The contest began with Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and electing to bowl first, a decision that proved to be the perfect one as his bowlers responded with relentless discipline and aggression.
Arshdeep Singh struck a massive blow in the very first over, sending the dangerous Mitchell Marsh back for a golden duck, setting the tone for Punjab’s dominance. Lockie Ferguson, playing his first game for PBKS, made an immediate impact as well, removing the promising Aiden Markram for a well-made 28 off 18 deliveries.
With the top order crumbling, LSG turned to their experienced duo of Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran for some stability. However, Shreyas Iyer’s tactical masterstroke of introducing Glenn Maxwell into the attack paid off immediately. Maxwell, who had dismissed Pant twice before in the tournament, repeated the trick by forcing the LSG skipper into an ill-advised shot, resulting in his early departure.
Nicholas Pooran, along with Ayush Badoni, tried to resurrect the innings with a 54-run stand for the fourth wicket. Pooran looked in sublime touch, smashing 44 off 30 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes. However, just when he threatened to accelerate further, Yuzvendra Chahal produced a crucial breakthrough, tempting Pooran into a big shot that landed in the safe hands of Maxwell at long-off.
Badoni, playing the anchor role, soon shifted gears and found an aggressive partner in Abdul Samad. The duo took 20 runs off an over from Arshdeep Singh, injecting some much-needed impetus into the LSG innings. Samad, known for his big-hitting prowess, wasted no time and launched his very first ball for a maximum. His quickfire 27 off just 12 balls included three sixes and one boundary, lifting LSG to a competitive total.
However, Marco Jansen’s disciplined bowling in the penultimate over, where he conceded just eight runs, ensured Punjab remained in control. Arshdeep then wrapped things up in the final over, dismissing both Badoni (41) and Samad to restrict LSG to 171/7. Punjab’s bowling unit put up a well-rounded effort, with Arshdeep finishing as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-43. Ferguson, Maxwell, Chahal, and Jansen chipped in with a wicket each, ensuring no major partnerships flourished for LSG.
Chasing 172, Punjab Kings came out with a clear intent to dominate. While Priyansh Arya fell early to Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prabhsimran Singh made sure there were no further hiccups. The aggressive opener dismantled the LSG attack with a breathtaking 69 off just 34 balls, taking Punjab to 84/2 in no time. His innings, laced with eight boundaries and four towering sixes, laid the perfect platform for his captain to take over.
Shreyas Iyer, leading from the front, played the anchor role to perfection while also keeping the scoreboard ticking. He found an able partner in Nehal Wadhera, who walked in as the impact player and made an instant difference.
Wadhera’s explosive 43 off just 25 balls, featuring three fours and four sixes, ensured Punjab raced towards the target without any further stutters. The duo’s onslaught left LSG bowlers clueless, with the likes of Shardul Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi bearing the brunt of their aggression.
With the finish line in sight, Iyer fittingly sealed the victory in grand fashion, dispatching a delivery over the ropes to bring up his second consecutive fifty and hand Punjab a comprehensive win in just 16.2 overs. His unbeaten 52 off 30 balls was a captain’s knock in every sense, ensuring his team maintained their perfect start to the campaign.
For Lucknow, Digvesh Singh Rathi was the lone bright spark in the bowling attack, claiming both wickets and finishing with 2-30 in his four-over spell. The rest of the bowlers, however, had no answers to the Punjab onslaught, as the visitors chased down the target with ease.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 171/7 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Ayush Badoni 41; Arshdeep Singh 3-43, Marco Jansen 1-28) beat Punjab Kings 177/2 in 16.2 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 69, Shreyas Iyer 52 not out; Digvesh Singh Rathi 2-30) by eight wickets.
–IANS
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