Staff Reporter.
West Indies maverick Odean Smith benefitted from an early dropped chance to power Punjab Kings to a sensational five-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a pulsating Indian Premier League clash at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday evening.
Smith was on just one when Anuj Rawat spilt the opportunity allowing Smith to blast 25 not out off just eight balls (1×4, 3×6). The Windies smasher had assistance from teammate Shahrukh Khan (24 not out from 20 balls) as the big-hitting pair put together a match-winning partnership of 52 runs for the sixth wicket off just 24 balls to power Punjab past RCB’s mammoth 205/2 with an over to spare.
The remarkable chase was led by Punjab captain Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan. The experienced duo tore into RCB’s new-ball bowlers from the outset to get Punjab’s reply off to a blistering start.
They dominated the Powerplay rattling off 63 runs without losing a wicket in the opening six overs.
Punjab moved to 71 in just 7.1 overs before RCB finally managed to sneak a breakthrough when Agarwal slapped a short ball from Sri Lankan allrounder Hasaranga de Silva straight to square leg to depart for 32 off 24 balls (2×4, 2×6).
The trend continued throughout the Punjab innings with the majority of the batters making contributions, but none playing the type of innings of real substance that Du Plessis produced for RCB earlier.
Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa both struck 43 off 29 and 22 balls respectively, but were dismissed at crucial junctures for Punjab.
Rajapaksa’s dismissal was particularly important as it was part of a double strike by RCB paceman Mohammad Siraj. The Indian international had suffered early on, but returned to break open the game for his team with the wickets of Rajapaksa and teenager Raj Bawa off successive deliveries.
Punjab still had England superstar Liam Livingstone at the crease and would have had high hopes that the big-hitting Lancastrian would take them home.
Unfortunately for Punjab, Livingstone (19) fell to a brilliant diving catch by the self-same Rawat off Akash Deep’s bowling.
But Punjab were not done yet with Smith and Khan producing the pyrotechnics at the death as RCB’s bowlers struggled to contain a wet ball due to the dew on the outfield.
Earlier, Du Plessis and Virat Kohli combined for a dynamic 118-run partnership off just 61 balls to set up Royal Challengers Bangalore’s imposing total.
Du Plessis, playing in his first Indian Premier League match for his new franchise after joining from the Chennai Super Kings, was electric during his innings of 88 off 57 balls (3×4, 7×6).
Kohli was not to be undone though as he finished with an unbeaten 41 off 29 balls (1×4, 2×6).
RCB were not done yet though with Dinesh Karthik continuing the carnage with a rapid 32 off just 14 balls (3×4, 3×6) with 16 runs coming off Sandeep Sharma’s final over.
It was part of a sensational turnaround that saw RCB blast 148 runs from the final 11 overs of their innings.
All of this was not enough on the day though with Punjab stealing the points at the death.
Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa(w), Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Raj Bawa, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Sandeep Sharma, Rahul Chahar
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik(w), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj