IPL 2021, PBKS VS RR: Punjab to Rajasthan with a royal defeat

Nail biting total and ever stronger defence, Punjab Kings put on a show by defeating Rajasthan Royals in Match 4 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.
With 91 off of the skipper KL Rahul’s bat and the saving grace Arshdeep Singh, who delivered the over of the hour, PBKS defeated RR by 4 -run with.

Punjab denied RR’s openers to set a strong foundation to achieve the overwhelming total of 221. Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh dismissed Ben Stokes and Manan Vohra respectively causing RR to a disappointing start.
Both Samson & Butler then paced the innings for RR and brought the team total to 59/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Jhey Richardson brought the defence back in swing by deceiving Buttler and dismissing him with a slower delivery.

Amidst the pressure and chaos, KL Rahul managed to strike 50 on his IPL captaincy debut, stepping it up a notch for RR to keep pushing closer to the challenging total.
Arshdeep rejected Shivam Dubey’s stay at the crease as he caught him into the deep off his delivery, sealing his second wicket of the innings.

Keeping the heat alive, Riyan Parag and Samson aggressively smashed 20 runs off the ,16 th over bowled by Ashwin.
Riyan eventually fell through the cracks as Skipper Rahul bought Shami back of the crease. The pacer took the crucial wicket in his last over, making it ever difficult for RR to bounce back.
Yet the pressure didnt get to RR skipper as Samson managed to score a century, becoming the first batsman to get a hundred on IPL captaincy debut.

With Rahil Tewatia dismissed and 13 runs required off the final six deliveries, it was make it or break it for Samson. Rahul let Arshdeep make the final swing snd tbe left arm bowler did not disappoint. He strategically manipulated his pace. With 5 rubs required off the last ball, Deepak Hooda caught the sliced attempt made by Samson in the deep, sealing the win in favour of PBKS at ghe end of the thrilling night.

Earlier, PBKS were put in to bat. The strong and promising duo of PBKS – skipper KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal – were up and running, smashing 21 runs off the first two overs.
PBKS started strong, with the dynamic duo KL Rahil and Mayank Aggarwal, hammering left, right and centre 21 runs in the first two overs itself.

But this partnership was short lived, for Mayank got dismissed for 14 at the hands of the novice Chetan Sakariain the third over.

With the skipper KL Rahul and Chris Gayle at the crease, PBKS powered through the powerplay with a total of 42/1.
The skipper continued to knock it out of the park for PBKS after Ben stokes dropped his catch in the outfield, off Shreyas Gopal’s bowling the 7th over of the innings.

Both Gayle and KL caught the bowlers off guard by scoring 24 runs off the next two overs, adding pressure on RR’s defence by the minute.

Eventually Riyan Parag with the help of the stunning catch executed by Stokes standing at long on, sent the hulk Gayle back to the stands, easing the pressure off of the RR’s misery.
Rahul on one other end, stayed put and made his first debut in style in the 13th over. Hooda joined the fray, by scoring two sixes off Shivam Dube and gifting three sixes off Gopal’s deliveries, scoring his fifty in no time.
With 5 overs still left, PBKS stood tall in the middle with a strong score of 161-2. Both Rahul and Hooda left no balls unturned and further added 26 runs off the next two overs. Shortly after, Hooda got sent off in an attempt to clear another one beyond the ropes.

Sakariya caught the lefthanded batsmen Nicholas Pooran on zero by executing a spectacular catch.
Rahul with an eye to score his 100, pushed to ninty. But his efforts fell short after a brilliant effort displayed by Tewatia in the outfield. PBKS finished strong at the end of the first innings with a dominating total of 221/6.

Match :5

Today’s Match -Tuesday, 13th April 2021. KOLKATA NIGHT RIDERS VS MUMBAI INDIAS

Venue: M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Match Time:  19:30 IST (14:00 GMT)

Ms. Shriya Sinha Sports and Lifestyle Journalist