Shreyas’ maiden IPL hundred keeps PBKS in play-offs race

Punjab Kings rediscovered their winning touch after six defeats in a row through skipper Shreyas Iyer’s majestic unbeaten 101 as they handed Lucknow Super Giants a seven-wicket towelling to stay alive in the IPL playoffs race here on Saturday.

Shreyas, whose maiden IPL hundred came off 51 balls, and Prabhsimran Singh (69, 39 balls) added 140 runs for the third wicket as Punjab scaled down LSG’s 196 for two in 18 overs. PBKS made 200 for three. The victory helped Punjab to reach 15 points from their all 14 league engagements to reclaim the No. 4 position on the table.

But now, they will have to go through an excruciating wait to know their fate as Rajasthan Royals (14) are taking on Mumbai Indians on Sunday at Mumbai.

If RR win the match then, Punjab will enter the playoffs as the fourth placed team with 16 points.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (13 points), who are up against Delhi Capitals in the weekend’s second clash, too have an outside chance should RR fail to go past MI.

In that case, it will be a battle of net run rate between KKR and PBKS, with both tied on 15 points. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans are already in the knockouts. But the equation worries are for another time, as Shreyas showed his steely nerves while chasing yet again with a fabulous knock. Opener Priyansh Arya fell to a first-ball duck to Mohammad Shami (2/45) and the veteran India pacer uprooted Cooper Connolly’s off-stump as PBKS plunged into turmoil. But Shreyas was least bothered about those early impediments, and as expected, lorded over spinners and pacers alike with drives, pulls and those trademark flicks off pads. He was severe on spinners Digvesh Rathee, scorching him for a flurry of onside boundaries, and Prabshimran, who got reprieves on 20 and 62, backed his leader with aplomb

Prabshimran reached his sixth fifty of the season off 26 balls while his senior partner reached that mark in 33 balls.

Once crossed fifty, Shreyas wore the cape of an enforcer, and the next 51 runs came off just 18 balls.

The dismissal of Prabshimran, who fell leg before to left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar, was a minor aberration as Punjab reached him with ease.

Shreyas, who reached his hundred with a six off Mohsin Khan that also signalled PBKS’ win, also pummelled Shami for three sixes in an over to speed his side to victory march. Earlier, Josh Inglis made a typically punishing 72, guiding LSG to a handy 196 for six. Inglis and Pant (26, 21b) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket as the already-eliminated Super Giants recovered from a shaky 69 for three in the seventh over.

Inglis’ 42-ball innings had two phases in it. The first part contained an opening over assault on Arshdeep Singh, four fours fetching the Aussie 16 runs.

But then he left the stage for Ayush Badoni, who came to the crease after the early dismissal of Arshin Kulkarni, who opened in the place of Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran.

Badoni took the centre stage in some style, making an 18-ball 43 and added 49 runs for the third wicket with Inglis.

He creamed Azmatuallah Omarzai, the No.1 all rounder as per ICC rankings, for 24 runs in the fifth over, and the run glut included a sequence of 4,6,6,4.

It helped LSG recover from the early departures of two top-order batters and end the power play at a rather fine 66 for two. But Badoni’s daredevilry ended soon as Prabhsimran effected a smart stumping off Yuzvendra Chahal, and DRS upheld its validity. However, Inglis woke up from his stupor with a slew of sparkling shots around the ground, and he started the second segment of his innings smashing a six, four and four in a row of Arshdeep.

In all, Inglis milked Arshdeep for six fours and two sixes, extending the India left-arm pacer’s lean season. It brought Pant and Inglis together. Pant, who was dropped on 18 by Shreyas at covers off Chahal, was not at his fluent best, but stayed there to give some valuable company to Inglis.

The Aussie right-hander reached his fifty in 28 balls but lost the company of Pant, who fell to Chahal (2/25). Inglis eventually fell to part-timer Shahshank Singh, giving an easy catch to Shreyas, who had stationed himself at a more straight long-on position.

Abdul Samad (37 not out, 20 balls) belted a couple of big hits but once Mukul Choudhary fell to Marco Jansen (2/33) cheaply, LSG’s hopes of crossing 200 evaporated.