Propelled by Jonny Bairstow's remarkable innings of 108 runs off 48 balls and Shashank Singh's blistering 68 off just 28 deliveries, Punjab Kings (PBKS) scripted history by achieving the highest successful chase in T20 cricket.
PBKS overhauled Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) daunting target of 262 runs, beating them by 8 wickets in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Eden Gardens on Friday, 26 April.
In a spectacle where a record-breaking 42 sixes were smashed, marking the highest number in IPL history, the Sam Curran-led side chased down the target with 8 balls to spare.
PBKS' Rollicking Start
The Kings embarked on their chase with remarkable flair, with opener Prabhsimran Singh and Jonny Bairstow forging an impressive 93-run partnership off a mere 36 balls, setting the stage for an electrifying start for the visiting team.
Prabhsimran notched up his fifty in just 18 balls during the 5th over. However, his innings concluded dramatically on the final delivery of the powerplay, falling victim to a run-out off a delivery from Sunil Narine after contributing a brisk 54 runs from just 20 balls. At the close of the powerplay, PBKS stood at 93/1.
With Prabhsimran's departure, Rilee Rossouw joined Bairstow at the crease, continuing the team's momentum with another formidable partnership of 85 runs from 36 balls. Rossouw's innings, however, met its end as he lost his wicket to Sunil Narine, with Shreyas Iyer completing the dismissal with a catch.
At the end of 15 overs, PBKS' scorecard read 201/2.
The Match-Winning Partnership
After Rossouw's exit, Shashank Singh partnered with Bairstow in the middle. Meanwhile, the Englishman reached his century taking just 45 balls on the final delivery of the 16th over. This was Bairstow's second century in the IPL.
Shashank, from the other end, sustained the attack, injecting vitality into PBKS's pursuit. He achieved his fifty in the 18th over off just 23 deliveries. Together, the pair orchestrated a match-winning partnership, accumulating 84 runs in just 37 balls. Shashank remained unbeaten with an impressive 68 runs off 28 balls, while Bairstow stood firm with an unbeaten 108 runs from 48 deliveries.
The Salt-Narine Assault
In the first innings, openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine slammed rollicking half-centuries while sharing an opening partnership of 138 runs in 10.2 overs as they propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to a mammoth 261/6.
While Salt made 75, Narine slammed 71 as the duo was also helped by PBKS dropping three catches collectively in the first seven overs to smash the bowlers to all parts of the park. After the duo fell, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer brought out the big hits to take KKR to the highest-ever IPL total at Eden Gardens, with the help of 22 fours and 18 sixes.
Salt and Narine’s 138-run partnership against PBKS is the second-highest opening partnership by any KKR pair in IPL history behind the unbeaten 184 runs stand shared by Chris Lynn and Gautam Gambhir against Gujarat Lions on 7 April, 2017.
Salt Dropped
The duo hit three more boundaries before Salt had a reprieve in the last over of Power-play as KKR signed off from the phase with 76/0.
After that, Salt was given another life when Rabada dropped a chance off Rahul Chahar, making it the third time PBKS shelled a chance. Narine reverse-swept, drove and sliced for his boundaries to reach his fifty in only 23 balls before Salt swivelled and lapped off Rabada for four and six respectively.
Salt got a 25-ball fifty, his third half-century of the season, by dispatching Chahar through extra cover for four, as KKR reached 137/0 at the halfway mark. PBKS finally held on to a catch as Narine holed out to long-on off Curran, falling for 71 off just 32 balls. Two overs later, Salt was castled by Curran for a 37-ball 75.
Shreyas' Fiery Cameo
Russell clubbed two fours and as many sixes in his 12-ball 24, before hooking to square leg off Arshdeep. Shreyas pulled, drove, flicked and sliced to hit Curran for a boundary and three sixes in his 10-ball 28, before giving a catch to deep third man off Arshdeep in the 19th over. Venkatesh, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh hit some boundaries at the end to take KKR past 260.
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