Punjab Kings Defeat Lucknow Super Giants by 8 Wickets
Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured a strong 8-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), thanks to a powerful knock by Prabhsimran Singh (69 runs) and captain Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 52. Their brilliant batting helped PBKS chase the 172-run target in just 16.2 overs.
After the win, Punjab Kings took a cheeky dig at LSG captain Rishabh Pant’s pre-season auction comments. They posted Shreyas Iyer’s winning moments on social media with the caption:
“Tension toh auction me hi khatm ho gayi this” .
Rishabh Pant’s Pre-Season Comment
Before the IPL season started, Pant had shared his auction worries on Star Sports:
“I only had one tension, that was Punjab (laughs). They had the highest purse. When Shreyas went to Punjab, I felt I could make it to LSG. But with the auction, you never know. So, I just waited with fingers crossed.”
Punjab’s Dominating Chase
At Ekana Cricket Stadium, PBKS chased 172 runs easily:
- Prabhsimran Singh smashed 69 runs off 34 balls (9 fours, 3 sixes).
- Shreyas Iyer played a smart and steady inning, scoring 52 runs off 30 balls, staying not out.
LSG’s Struggles with Batting
LSG had a rough start, losing 3 wickets in the powerplay and scoring just 39 runs.
- Arshdeep Singh was the key bowler, taking 3 wickets for 43 runs.
- He dismissed Mitchell Marsh for a duck in the first over.
- Aiden Markram fell to Lockie Ferguson, while Rishabh Pant managed only 2 runs before getting out to Glenn Maxwell.
Nicholas Pooran (44 off 30) and Ayush Badoni (41 off 33) tried to recover LSG’s innings. Abdul Samad’s quick 27 off 12 balls helped push their total to 171 runs.
LSG’s Bowling Struggles
Without Mayank Yadav, LSG’s bowling attack looked weak:
- Ravi Bishnoi’s bad form continued.
- Shardul Thakur and Avesh Khan couldn’t trouble PBKS’s batters.
- Prabhsimran Singh took full advantage and attacked the pacers aggressively.
Punjab Kings’ win sends a strong message in the IPL, showing they are a serious contender this season!
