The chances of Punjab Kings making it to the play-offs are bleak as they have won only 3 matches out of 9 played by them but the big win that they registered yesterday against Kolkata Knight Riders will be noted down in golden words in the history of T20 cricket.
PBKS successfully chased the huge target of 262 runs in 18.4 overs and registered the new world record of the highest successful chase in the history of T20 cricket in their name.
The match was played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata and KKR batted first after PBKS won the toss. KKR got off to a great start as openers Phil Salt (75 runs) and Sunil Narine (71 runs) put up a partnership of 138 runs for the first wicket. Venkatesh Iyer (39 runs) and Shreyas Iyer (28 runs) also played useful knocks and helped their team in putting a total of 261/6 on the scoreboard.
PBKS also got off to a flying start as Prabhsimran Singh (54 runs) and Jonny Bairstaw (108 runs not out) tore apart the KKR bowling lineup. Shashank Singh finished the match with style as he smashed 68 runs not out for which he played only 28 deliveries (2 fours & 8 sixes) and ensured that his team goes home as winners.
Jonny Bairstow who was adjudged as the Player of the Match said this in the post-match presentation, “We got off to a good start and that was key. They got a flier themselves thanks to Sunil so we knew we had to go ballistic in the powerplay. When you’ve to chase 200-plus you’ve to take risks in the powerplay.”
Bairstow also praised Shashank Singh as he said, “Shashank has done it all season, he’s a lovely guy and a special player. To have someone like him come in and do that is unbelievable. His knowledge, he’s not young either, he’s nice and calm, full credit to him for the way he came out and hit it cleanly.”
Congratulations PBKS!
