Punjab Kings Triumph Over Lucknow Super Giants in IPL Clash

Punjab Kings Secure Victory Against Lucknow Super Giants

Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 5: A commendable half-century from Ayush Badoni, alongside an impressive 81-run partnership with Abdul Samad, stood out as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) faced a 37-run defeat against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA stadium in Dharmasala on Sunday.

This victory places PBKS in second place with seven wins, three losses, and one no result, accumulating 15 points. Meanwhile, LSG sits in seventh place with five wins and six losses, totaling 10 points.

Chasing a target of 237 runs, LSG had a disastrous start, losing both openers Mitchell Marsh (0) and Aiden Markram (13) within the first three overs, leaving them at 16/2.

Arshdeep Singh was in exceptional form, dismissing Nicholas Pooran for just six runs, which left LSG struggling at 27/3 in 4.2 overs.

By the end of the powerplay, LSG managed only 38 runs for the loss of three wickets, with Ayush Badoni (9*) and captain Rishabh Pant (6*) at the crease.

Despite their efforts to build a partnership, Pant fell for 18 runs off 17 balls, caught by Shashank Singh off Azmatullah Omarzai's bowling, leaving LSG at 58/4 in 7.5 overs.

The combination of Shashank and Omarzai struck again, sending David Miller back for 11 runs, reducing LSG to 73/5 in 9.5 overs.

However, Badoni and Samad began to stabilize the innings, scoring 21 runs off an over from Vijakumar Vyshak, which included two fours and two sixes, bringing LSG to 100 runs in 12 overs.

Samad hit two sixes against Yuzvendra Chahal and continued to attack Marcus Stoinis, helping LSG reach 150 runs in 16 overs.

The promising partnership of 81 runs ended when Samad was caught and bowled by Marco Jansen for 45 runs off 24 balls, leaving LSG at 154/6 in 16.4 overs.

Badoni achieved his second fifty of the season in just 32 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes.

Despite his efforts, Badoni's innings concluded in the final over, scoring 74 runs off 40 balls, as LSG finished their innings at 199/7, with Avesh Khan (19*) and Prince Yadav (1*) remaining not out.

Arshdeep Singh delivered a stellar performance, taking three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs, while Omarzai claimed 2/33. Marco and Chahal each took one wicket.

Earlier, PBKS had a strong batting display, scoring 236/5 in their 20 overs, led by Prabhsimran Singh's explosive innings.

After winning the toss, LSG captain Rishabh Pant opted to field first. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya opened for PBKS, with Arya dismissed in the first over by Akash Singh, who was making his season debut.

Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis joined Singh and hit three sixes in the second over off Mayank Yadav, who struggled throughout the match.

Inglis was dismissed in the fourth over for 30 runs off 14 balls, which included a four and four sixes. PBKS finished the powerplay at 66/2.

They reached the 100-run mark in the 10th over, with Singh on 48 and Shreyas Iyer at 20. Singh completed his fifty in the 11th over off just 30 balls.

Digvesh Rathi took the wicket of Iyer for 45 runs off 25 balls, which included four fours and two sixes. Nehal Wadhera joined Singh next.

Prince Yadav dismissed Wadhera for 16 runs, while Shashank Singh partnered with Prabhsimran.

Mayank Yadav had a tough outing, conceding 60 runs without taking a wicket in his four overs.

PBKS continued to score freely, surpassing the 200-run mark in the 18th over, with Shashank and Prabhsimran adding 26 runs off Avesh Khan.

Rathi eventually dismissed Prabhsimran for 91 runs in the 19th over, which included six fours and seven sixes.

For LSG, Akash and Digvesh each took two wickets, while Prince Yadav claimed one.

PBKS concluded their innings at 236/5, setting LSG a challenging target of 237 runs.

Brief score: PBKS 236/5 (Prabhsimran Singh 91, Shreyas Iyer 45; Akash Singh 2/30) defeated LSG 199/7 (Ayush Badoni 74, Abdul Samad 45; Arshdeep Singh 3/16).