Despite a commendable comeback from Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma following an early stumble, Punjab Kings narrowly missed clinching a victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL clash at Mullanpur Stadium on Tuesday, falling short by just two runs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad has ascended to fifth place in the standings with three victories and two defeats, totaling six points, while Punjab Kings occupy the sixth position with two wins and three losses, amassing four points.
Chasing a target of 183, Punjab Kings faced early setbacks, including Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal by Pat Cummins for a duck, leaving PBKS at a precarious 2/1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then intensified Punjab’s woes, removing Prabhsimran Singh and Shikhar Dhawan, pushing PBKS to 20/3.
Despite a rocky start, Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza managed to partially steady the ship, propelling PBKS past the 50-run mark. However, Cummins’ remarkable catch off T Natrajan’s bowling dismissed Curran, further dampening Punjab’s hopes.
Midway through, Shashank Singh and Sikandar Raza attempted to rejuvenate Punjab’s chase, hitting crucial boundaries and sixes. Yet, as the match progressed, Punjab struggled to maintain momentum, with crucial wickets falling at critical junctures.
Entering the final overs, Punjab needed 50 runs from the last three, a challenge partially met by spirited batting from Shashank and Ashutosh Sharma, who nearly turned the tide with their aggressive play. The duo managed to bring the equation down to 29 needed off the last over.
The dramatic final over saw Ashutosh hitting two sixes and reducing the deficit significantly. Despite their valiant effort and a last-ball six from Shashank, Punjab Kings finished at 180/6, just two runs shy of victory.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar emerged as a key bowler for SRH, taking 2/32, while Pat Cummins, Natrajan, Reddy, and Unadkat contributed with crucial wickets.
Earlier, a powerful bowling display led by Arshdeep Singh, who finished with impressive figures of 4-29, helped restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 182/9. Nitish Reddy’s counter-attacking fifty and Abdul Samad’s cameo were highlights for SRH, but Punjab’s pace attack, especially Arshdeep’s timely wickets, kept their scoring in check.
Despite the close contest, Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a narrow victory, underlining the unpredictable nature of the IPL and the fine margins between win and loss.
