Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 26 : A 120-run partnership between openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh helped Punjab Kings (PBKS) post 201/4 in their 20 overs during the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.
PBKS needs to defend 202 runs to get their sixth win of the season while KKR needs to chase it down to get their fourth.
After PBKS won the toss and opted to bat first, openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh started well, with Priyansh collecting boundaries against Vaibhav Arora during the first three overs while Prabhsimran took his time.
The first big over of the innings came in the fourth over, when Chetan Sakariya was smashed by Priyansh for two fours and Prabhsimran for a six over long-off, with PBKS looting 18 runs.
In the next over, Prabhsimran started to middle the ball well, taking down Harshit Rana's pace for a four and then a scoop for a six over fine leg, bringing up the 50-run mark for PBKS is 4.3 overs.
A two-run over by Varun Chakravarthy ended the powerplay without much damage at 56/0, with Priyansh (29*) and Prabhsimran (25*) unbeaten.
In the 10th over, Priyansh upped the ante after some quiet overs, hitting Harshit for four, six, and then four to bring up his first half-century of the season in 27 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. PBKS was 94/0 in 10 overs, with Priyansh (54*) and Prabhsimran (34*) unbeaten.
After two easy overs, Narine was tonked by three sixes by the duo and he leaked 22 runs. 100-run mark came for PBKS in 10.3 overs.
In the next over, the introduction of Andre Russell helped KKR get their first wicket, as a slower offcutter was pulled by Priyansh, who was caught by Vaibhav at deep midwicket for 69 in 35 balls, with eight fours and four sixes. PBKS was 120/1 in 11.5 overs.
In the next over, Prabhsimran, now having found his groove, continued to make a meal out of Sakariya's pace, hitting him for two fours and a six. He reached his second half-century of the season in 38 balls, with two fours and four sixes.
Prabhsimran continued to get monstrous with each passing delivery, beating down Varun's spin with three boundaries and a six. 19 came from the over, taking his score to 82* in just 47 balls.
However, in the next over, Prabhsimran slapped the ball right into the hands of Rovman Powell at long-off, giving Vaibhav his wicket at 83 in 49 balls, with six fours and six sixes. PBKS was 160/2 in 14.3 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, PBKS was 161/2, with Glenn Maxwell (1*) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (5*).
Things went a little quiet for PBKS against Narine and Varun for the next two overs. Maxwell tried taking down Varun, first with a switch hit, then failed to connect on the next ball, which crashed into his stumps. Maxwell faced another failure, gone for seven. PBKS was 172/3 in 16.4 overs.
Marco Jansen could not last long either, falling to Vaibhav Arora for just three. PBKS was 184/4 in 18.3 overs.
Josh Inglis and skipper Iyer helped PBKS end at 201/4, with Inglis (11* in six balls, with two fours) and Iyer (25* in 16 balls, with a four and a six).
Vaibhav (2/34) was the pick of the bowlers for KKR. Varun and Russell got a wicket each.
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