Lucknow: Punjab Kings put up a masterclass in both bowling and batting as they steamrolled Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets with 22 balls to spare in Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here.
It was a ruthless display from the visitors, who outclassed LSG in all departments to claim their second consecutive win in the tournament. The contest began with Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and electing to bowl first, a decision that proved to be the perfect one as his bowlers responded with relentless discipline and aggression.
Arshdeep Singh struck a massive blow in the very first over, sending the dangerous Mitchell Marsh back for a golden duck, setting the tone for Punjab’s dominance. Lockie Ferguson, playing his first game for PBKS, made an immediate impact as well, removing the promising Aiden Markram for a well-made 28 off 18 deliveries.
With the top order crumbling, LSG turned to their experienced duo of Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran for some stability. However, Shreyas Iyer’s tactical masterstroke of introducing Glenn Maxwell into the attack paid off immediately. Maxwell, who had dismissed Pant twice before in the tournament, repeated the trick by forcing the LSG skipper into an ill-advised shot, resulting in his early departure.
Nicholas Pooran, along with Ayush Badoni, tried to resurrect the innings with a 54-run stand for the fourth wicket. Pooran looked in sublime touch, smashing 44 off 30 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes. However, just when he threatened to accelerate further, Yuzvendra Chahal produced a crucial breakthrough, tempting Pooran into a big shot that landed in the safe hands of Maxwell at long-off.
Badoni, playing the anchor role, soon shifted gears and found an aggressive partner in Abdul Samad. The duo took 20 runs off an over from Arshdeep Singh, injecting some much-needed impetus into the LSG innings. Samad, known for his big-hitting prowess, wasted no time and launched his very first ball for a maximum. His quickfire 27 off just 12 balls included three sixes and one boundary, lifting LSG to a competitive total.
Chasing 172, Punjab Kings came out with a clear intent to dominate. While Priyansh Arya fell early to Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prabhsimran Singh made sure there were no further hiccups. The aggressive opener dismantled the LSG attack with a breathtaking 69 off just 34 balls, taking Punjab to 84/2 in no time. His innings, laced with eight boundaries and four towering sixes, laid the perfect platform for his captain to take over.
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MI were dominant in every phase: Williamson Mumbai: New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson lauded Mumbai Indians' (MI) eight-wicket win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), saying the five-time winners dominated every phase of the match to register their first win in the IPL 2025 season. Ryan Rickelton struck an unbeaten half-century after young debutant pacer Ashwani Kumar destroyed KKR with his four-wicket haul to lead MI to their first points at the Wankhede Stadium. Ashwani first stole the show with a sensational 4-24, the best figures by an Indian bowler on his IPL debut, as KKR were bowled out for 116 in 16.2 overs. Later, Rickelton's unbeaten 62 off 41 balls ensured MI chased down 117 with ease in just 12.5 overs. "It was a complete performance. Winning the toss, bowling first, and executing their plans beautifully. Bringing in an extra seamer, Ashwani, who was outstanding. They took wickets consistently, and I think that was the most pleasing aspect. It’s not often nowadays, with the impact player rule, that you see a team preventing any substantial partnerships. But they applied pressure throughout and were dominant in every phase of the match," Williamson said on JioHotstar. |
