Prabhsimran-led PBKS power batting floors LSG

Mumbai: With the asking rate climbing from 12 runs-an-over when Lucknow Super Giants began chasing to nearly 15 after the Powerplay, and their top order dismantled, Rishabh Pant advanced down the track against Azmatullah Omarzai’s pace. He heaved hard outside off-stump, only for his bat to slip off his hands and fly to square leg. We have seen that before. But usually he still finds a boundary. This time the ball was comfortably caught by deep point. It’s been that kind of tournament for Pant and for his team.

The opposite has been true for Punjab Kings. Their batting unit has been the most threatening. Occasionally, they have blown it. But often their bravery has delivered positive results, helping them post 200-plus totals. It all came together against LSG in their other home venue in the shadows of Himalaya at Dharmshala on Sunday. PBKS won by 37 runs after posting a massive 236 runs total.

PBKS’ early intent was powered by Josh Inglis, promoted to No.3. The Australian smashed Mayank Yadav for three consecutive sixes to puncture the returning pacer’s confidence early.

Then, all the way through the innings, Prabhsimran Singh (91 - 48b, 6x4, 7x6) was in complete charge. The right-hander has been in prime form through the season. His pairing with Priyansh Arya has won PBKS many a Powerplay. It wasn’t to be Arya’s day but Prabhsimran made an impact with his cuts and glides, pulls and scoops.

A costly drop by Nicholas Pooran allowed Prabhsimran to settle down in the middle overs and bat with fewer risks. That’s when skipper Shreyas Iyer (45 off 25b) was taking the bowling on. Coming off consecutive fifties, Prabhsimran knew he could shift gears when he wanted. When Shashank Singh arrived with the innings approaching the death overs, they began operating like a tag team at great speed.

With so much batting depth, PBKS has had specialists for every phase. From being 144/3 after 14, PBKS signalled the death overs early. The 15th over bowled by spinner Digvesh Rathi went for 17 runs. In all, PBKS amassed 92 runs in the final six overs.

Expensive Mayank Yadav

In all, PBKS struck 16 sixes. Six of them came against Mayank, who was far from his stump-shattering form. Having regained fitness mid-way through the season, this has been a much milder version of Mayank. Clearly, the nuts and bolts of his bowling action are yet to be tightened.

In his first match back against Mumbai Indians, Mayank bowled a splattering of slower balls. He tried a similar tactic here, but had to quickly retreat. In the Powerplay, Inglis and Prabhsimran punished him. When he returned to bowl at the death, Shashank went after him. To LSG’s dismay, Mayank (4-0-60-0) wasn’t the only pacer to have an off-day.

Avesh Khan, who has shown some accuracy during the death overs, this time was rattled by PBKS’ constant aggression. He too missed his mark (10-0-57-0). This, on a day LSG were playing four pacers by dropping leggie Ravi Bishnoi.

Right through the tournament, LSG has had to assemble makeshift bowling attacks. Shardul Thakur brought his experience to the fore in the first half of the season. It was former RR and CSK left-arm pacer Akash Singh’s turn on Sunday, on LSG debut. He was crafty with his bowling mix and bowled his four overs on the trot where he got Arya (1) and Inglis (30) out. But overall, Lucknow’s bowling attack was far too monotonous and off-colour against the Punjab’s batting might.

As for LSG’s batting, they were never in the run chase after Arshdeep Singh’s three early strikes (3/16).