Punjab Kings lost wickets in a clump and failed to put on any worthy partnership as they lost to the Chennai Super Kings by 28 runs in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
Chasing 168, Punjab lost early wickets before a 53 run third wicket stand between Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh helped them rally but once the two batters were dismissed, it was a free fall and PBKS eventually succumbed to their 8th loss of the season.
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Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja showed his utility with the bat as he played a crucial knock to rescue CSK from a difficult situation.
Batting at No. 6, Jadeja walked in to bat with CSK on 75/4 in the ninth over with all the frontline batters back in the hut. The left-hander brought all his experience to stitch together a few short but vital partnerships with the lower order to take the defending champions past the 150-run mark.
Jadeja had a close shave early on when he mistimed his loft against Harshal Patel which fell just short of the fielder at long on in the 11th over. But he got the next shot bang off the middle, smashing Harshal over mid off for a boundary and slashed the last ball through point as the fielder failed to stop the ball for another four.
With CSK losing wickets at regular intervals, Jadeja provided the solidity from one end relying mainly on ones and twos in the middle overs. He finally cut loose in the 18th over when he slog swept leg-spinner Rahul Chahar for a six over mid wicket.
In the final over, he slammed Arshdeep Singh for a four and a six before falling to the same bowler after a superb 43 from 26 balls, with two sixes and three fours, which helped CSK recover to post a competitive 167.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
CSK Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad looked in fine touch but failed to make most of his good form. He played a delightful flick off Kagiso Rabada over mid wicket for his first boundary before taking spinner Harpreet Brar to the cleaners to rally CSK after an early wicket.
He used his feet to launch Brar straight down the ground for a six followed by a forceful shot through the covers for a boundary off the next ball and then made room to carve the left-arm spinner over the off-side for another four.
He swatted Sam Curran for a boundary through mid wicket to raise the 50-run stand with Daryl Mitchell and rebuild CSK's innings.
But he perished to leg-spinner Rahul Chahar off his very first delivery, caught behind after a breezy 32 from 21 balls. Gaikwad will ruE not carrying after the start, having come into the game on the back of 67, 17, 108 not out, 98 and 62 in his last five innings.
Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell, who walked in after an early wicket, showed great intent right from the start. In the fourth over, he pulled Arshdeep Singh for a boundary through mid wicket and slammed the next ball down the ground for a six.
He was lucky when he came down and had a big swing against spinner Harpreet Brar but got a thick inside edge which narrowly missed the stumps and went fine on the leg side for a four.
Mitchell kept the scoreboard ticking along with regular singles, as he built a solid 57 run second wicket partnership with Gaikwad to revive CSK and lay the foundation for the middle and lower order.
Just like Gaikwad, Mitchell could not make most of a good start. He stroked 30 from 19 balls before he was trapped leg before by Harshal in the ninth over.
Prabhsimran Singh
On a challenging wicket, chasing 168 for victory was never going to be easy and Punjab opener Prabhsimran Singh learnt that first hand.
He got off to a slow start and was struggling to middle the ball. He was stuck on 2 off 9 balls after four overs but stepped on the pedal in the last two overs of the Powerplay.
The opener smashed Richard Gleeson for a six over mid wicket in the 5th over before hitting Tushar Deshpande for a six over long on. Next ball he played a ramp shot to play the ball over third man for a four.
After the Powerplay, he kept the scoreboard ticking along with Shashank Singh.
He made most of the bad balls that came his way like the full ball on the pads bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. Prabhsimran made room and slapped the ball over extra cover going inside out and finding a four off the final ball of the over. PBKS was 47/2 at the end of the Powerplay, with Prabhsimran (20*) and Shashank (18*) unbeaten.
In 6.2 overs, Punjab reached their 50 run mark.
In no time Prabhsimran accumulated runs and got to 27 off 19. After Shashank's dismissal, he had to once again built the innings with PBKS Captain Sam Curran. But he was quiet and allowed just singles and twos.
Frustration finally got the better of him as he tried to clear the man at long off but to no luck. He was out for 30 off 23 balls, his innings comprising 2 sixes and 2 fours.
Shashank Singh
This season, fans and franchise alike have come to believe that if Punjab Kings are in a spot of bother they have to look no further than Shashank Singh.
And he did spark a mini fight back for the Punjab Kings who were in early trouble at 9 for 2 after 2 overs.
He came in at the fall of Riley Rossouw's wicket and had to forge a partnership with Prabhsimran Singh if they had to get anywhere the target.
Shashank and Prabhsimran Singh put Punjab back on track with some fine shot-making.
Shashank got off the mark in no time with a chip over mid off for a four off just the second ball he faced, making his intentions clear.
In the same over by Tushar Deshpande, he was beaten a couple of times.
In the next over he cut Richard Gleeson hard for a four over cover point. He then lofted Deshpande for a four over mid-off and at this time they put Punjab back on track.
He brought up a 50 run stand for the third wicket with Prabhsimran with a four straight over Mitchell Santner's head.
However, the bowler had the last laugh as he broke the partnership, with Shashank miscuing the ball to Simarjeet Singh at long on and walking back for 27 off 20. (4 x 4).
Shashank gave Prabhsimran the necessary confidence to go after the bowling when he was struggling to middle the ball initially.
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