KKR vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2024: Punjab script history after record 262 chase in T20s

Who would have thought the Punjab would have chased down 262 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata?. 

Who would have thought that PBKS would romp home with 8 balls to spare 

A 45-ball hundred for Jonny Bairstow. This is sensational from the Punjab opener. He was dropped and brought back to the XI today. And boy, hasn't he repaid the faith shown in him?

It's also the second hundred for the England opener in the IPL. 

Well, R Ashwin echoes the feelings of all the bowlers. 

Punjab have gone past 200 in the 15th over. However, Sunil Narine has stood out from the rest. He has conceded just 24 runs in his quota of 4 overs and picked up a wicket. 

This is terrific from the mystery spinner. On the other hand, Varun Chakravarthy has travelled today. 

Punjab are not stopping the charge. Yes, they are seeing off Sunil Narine, but the charge against all the other KKR bowlers continues. Shashank Singh, who walks in at No. 4, starts with two sixes. 

Punjab have done wonderfully well to keep the asking rate down. 

PBKS have gone past 200 in the 15th over. 

Rilee Rossouw has fallen for 26 off 6. Sunil Narine is the ray of hope for bowlers in this match. The left-handed slices one into the air and is caught in the short mid-wicket region. 

This is madness. The bowlers have no say in this. Jonny Bairstow has taken Andre Russell to the cleaners. There was a 105-meter six in that over. 

At the end of 12 overs, it's 173 for 1. Yes, you read that right. 

At the half-way mark, PBKS find their at 132/1 and have been on par with the scoring rate. Rilee Rossouw and Jonny Bairstow are more than capable of taking Punjab home. KKR bowlers cannot afford to relax by any means. 

After his masteful knock of 71, Sunil Narine pulled off a tremendous direct hit to dismiss Prabhsimran Singh, who raced his way to scoring 54. PBKS scored 93 runs in the powerplay and need to keep going. 

Prabhsimran Singh has brought up his half-century off 18 balls. He smashed Suil Narine for a huge six through fine leg to bring up the milestone. Punjab's start keeps getting better and better. 

Prabhsimran Singh has flown away at the Eden Gardens. He has taken on the KKR bowlers as PBKS look to chase down a mammoth target. It's now time for Jonny Bairstow to fire. Punjab off to a brisk start. 

Prabhsimran Singh breaks the shackles with two sixes from Harshit Rana in the second over. Both sixes were a thing of beauty and the PBKS opener continued his fireworks in the next over. Prabhsimran played a cheeky shot vs Dushmantha Chameera for his third six of the match.

Welcome back to the action! Punjab have made a strategic move, bringing in Prabhsimran Singh as their impact sub, swapping out Arshdeep. Over on the Kolkata Knight Riders side, Chameera is making his debut, entrusted with the new ball, and there's a palpable sense of anticipation with a slip in place. Both teams are all set to ignite the pitch with their skill and determination. Let the game begin!

Kolkata post 261 on the board. Sunil Narine smashed 71 off 32 balls, taking his IPL 2024 tally beyond 350. Phil Salt smashed 75 off 37 balls as the two KKR openers tore into PBKS bowling. Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer's late camo made sure KKR posted 261, the highest total at Eden Gardens and KKR's second-highest total in IPL history. 

A terrific, terrific show from the KKR batters. 

Do Punjab have a chance of chasing this down? 

No fireworks from Rinku Singh tonight. A good catch from Ashutosh Sharma. Harshal Patel takes the big wicket. Eden Gardens fans are not very happy seeing Rinku not joining te big-hitting party tonight. 

Ramandeep Singh is the new man in and he begins with a huge six. 

Rinku Singh, the finisher, has walked into bat. Only 9 balls are left in the innings. Shreyas Iyer did well with the bat, but have the Knight Riders wasted Rinku Singh this season? 

Arshdeep Singh has his second wicket. Shreyas Iyer falls for 28 from just 10 balls. A good knock from the KKR captain. Shikhar Dhawan, who is sitting in the dugout, is relieved.

Shreyas Iyer gets a gound round of applause from the KKR dugout. 

Is he going to be in the plane for the T20 World Cup? 

Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer have added 36 runs in just 15 balls. 24 runs in the 18th over from Sam Curran. 

Well, this pitch and the ground dimension has made Shreyas Iyer look like peak Chris Gayle. 

Kagiso Rabada bowls a decent 17th over and concedes nine runs. Andre Russell's wicket has definitely helped PBKS stop the flow of runs, as both Iyers (Shreyas and Venkatesh) have struggled for timing with better deliveries from PBKS bowlers.

190 for 2 at the end of the 15th over. Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer are warming up for the big finish. Sam Curran, the PBKS captain, is looking a bit nervous. 

KKR's highest total is 272, which they scored earlier in the season. Can they break that record tonight? 

Andre Russell walks in at No. 4. That's a clear sign that Kolkata are looking to target 250 and more today. The Eden Gardens crowd roars in delight for the new man, Eden's favourite son. 

Can Andre Russell keep the momentum going? 

Sam Curran got himself into the attack when his spinners were getting some purchase. It looked a foolish call, but he has picked up a wicket, the big one of Phil Salt. 

Phil alt falls for 75 off 37 balls. A terrific knock from the England batter. He did not look to slow down at any point in his innings. He hits Sam Curran for 2 sixes on the row in the 13th over and attempts to make it 3 in 3. 

However, Sam Curran gets his England teammate with an unplayable yorker. He has a smile on his face after winning the mini-battle. 

Venkatesh Iyer is the new man in. He has joined Phil Salt, who has raced into his 60s. Kolkata have brought up their 150 in the 12th over. 

The scoring rate has dropped, only by a bit, after Sunil Narine's exit. There is some turn on offer for the two spinners in this Eden Gardens pitch. Can Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar stem the flow of runs? 

Sunil Narine has finally departed. Relief for Punjab fans. He hits a short ball from leg-spinner Rahul Chahar straight into the hands of the long-on. 

Sunil Narine hit his 3rd fifty of the IPL 2024 season. He missed out on his second hundred today. Had an opportunity to get there. 

Sunil Narine is now the second man on the Orange Cap list with 357 runs in 8 matches. Only Virat Kohli, with 430 runs, has scored more than him in IPL 2024. 

This is not good viewing. The balance between bat and ball is non-existent. A flat surface, short boundaries and no help for the bowlers. Kolkata openers Sunil Narine and Phil Salt have made merry in the middle. 

A 25-ball fifty for Phil Salt. He is in sensational form. The rub of green is not going PBKS's way. Sunil Narine was given out LBW in the 9th over by Rahul Chahar, but the on-field decision was reversed as the ball-tracking showed the ball missing the stumps because of height. 

This is carnage from Sunil Narine and Phil Salt. The two batters have added 118 ruins in the first 9 overs. 

Will we see another score in excess of 250?

Well, Sunil Narine has confirmed he won't be part of West Indies's T20 World Cup squad. But he has been super consistent this season. He has gotten to a 23-ball fifty. And guess what, he has taken his tally past 300 runs in IPL 2024. That's not a part-time batter. He is turning into one of the most feared openers in the league. 

Shah Rukh Khan, who is at the Eden Gardens, is thrilled to bits. 

KKR are approaching 100 in the 8th over. 

No respite for the Punjab bowlers. Kagiso Rabada leaks 21 in the only over he bowled. Harshal Patel's slower balls were sent into the stands. Sam Curran bowled 2 overs and conceded 18 runs in a decent effort. However, PBKS have failed to take a wicket in the powerplay.

Arshdeep's form with the ball should concern the national team selectors as they sit down to decide the 15-man squad for the T@0 World Cup over the weekend. 

PBKS's fielding was pathetic in the powerplay. Harpreet Bhatia dropped Sunil Narine on 16. And now Sam Curran, the skipper has dropped Phil Salt on 34. 

76 runs in the powerplay for KKR. 

KKR have brought up their fifty off a mere 3.5 overs. It's going haywire for the Punjab Kings. There's no stopping Phil Salt and Sunil Narine. The hosts are going at 14.75 in their first 4 overs. 

Harpreet Brar has put down a relatively easy chance of Sunil Narine at the short third man region. Narine tried to steer one through third man, but failed to find the gap. Brar got both hands to the ball, but could not complete the catch.

Sunil Narine has played his shots at the top as the Knights have scored 20 runs in the first 2 overs. Arshdeep Singh leaks 13 runs in his first over. Phil Salt has also looked steady. 

"We will have a bowl. We had 4 games at home, unfortunately lost all four, guys are ready for the away games though. We know what we need to do from here, just go out and play. Liam Livingstone misses out, Jonny Bairstow is back," Sam Curran said.

Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran(c), Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Note: Jonny Bairstow has replaced Liam Livingstone 

Impact Sub: Prabhsimran Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Prince Choudhary

Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Dushmantha Chameera, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana

Note: Dushmantha Chameera has replaced Mitchell Starc

Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Rahmanullah Gurbaz

0 && comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">While KKR replaced Mitchell Starc with Dusmanth Chameera, Jonny Bairstow returned for PBKS.

0 && comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">PBKS (Playing XI): Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran(c), Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

KKR (Playing XI): Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Dushmantha Chameera, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana

Shreyas Iyer - We've had different players stepping up at different times, that's the thing I'm pleased about this season. Starcy got a cut on his finger in the last game, Dushmantha Chameera replaces him. Need a great start and then convert it into a big score, hoping to continue the same form and momentum.

Sam Curran - We will have a bowl. We had 4 games at home, unfortunately lost all four, guys are ready for the away games though. We know what we need to do from here, just go out and play. Liam Livingstone misses out, Jonny Bairstow is back.
 

PBKS captain Sam Curran won the toss and opted to bowl against KKR in Kolkata.

0 && comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' && comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">Mitchell Starc - Coming back (into the IPL), obviously to a different team. Getting to know about the youngsters in this KKR set-up, I have played against a few, but I've seen a lot of talent in this franchise, sharing my thoughts and answering their questions, it's been enjoyable. We know that the grounds in India are smaller when compared to back at home (in Australia), the wickets are generally pretty good throughout the game, the impact player rule as well. The batters are coming in with an intention to throw their bats around. You can see that impact in the Sunrisers with Heady at the top, just going out and trying to clear the infield. It's been a challenge to come here and play in the best T20 league in the world. The wickets have played differently in the day games and the night games - it does become easier to bat under the lights, it has been a learning curve. Playing in the heat is a part of the game, fortunately it's only 20 overs in the field and you can deal with it. Things have been going well so far (for KKR), different individuals have stood up, the next two home games are very important for us before we travel. So the two points today could be very important in that regard.

The weather is scorching, with temperatures reaching the mid-40s, making conditions slightly uncomfortable for the players. The boundaries measure 66 meters and 63 meters square, while the straight boundary stretches to 73 meters. Throughout the season, the pitch has consistently offered plenty of pace and bounce. It's characterized by its rock-hard surface, with a silt content of around 70%, higher than the usual 50-60%. There are noticeable patches on a good length area at both ends, and the grass is abrasive, assisting spinners, particularly in the first innings. KKR's spinners may have an advantage here, given their reliance on pace and lateral movement. The venue is known for high-scoring matches, and there's no dew, as confirmed by the curators. Despite the conditions, the captain winning the toss might still choose to chase first, as suggested by Katey Martin and Deep Dasgupta in their pitch report.
 

Mitchell Starc's economy rate of 11.48 is the poorest among bowlers who have bowled at least 25 overs, as well as the poorest of any bowler who has bowled at least 20 overs in the first seven games of an IPL season. Starc, who is the most expensive in more ways than one, must eventually live up to his reputation.

The typical first innings score at the Eden Gardens this season hovers just below 204. The pitches have facilitated fluent stroke play, and the short boundaries have provided additional assistance to the batsmen. Similar conditions are expected, although the tracks might begin to dry out as a result of the ongoing heat wave in the city.

KKR has showcased near-perfect performance on their home turf, securing victories in three out of four games played. Their sole defeat at the Eden Gardens can be credited to an exceptional innings by Jos Buttler of the Rajasthan Royals. The venue has witnessed remarkably high-scoring matches, providing favorable conditions for KKR's batsmen, spearheaded by Sunil Narine. Additionally, Phil Salt has demonstrated his readiness for the opening role with some powerful innings. With the bolstering of KKR's batting lineup, the emergence of Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ramandeep Singh has granted more freedom to the trio of Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell at the crease.
 

PBKS and KKR are two legacy franchises in the Indian Premier League, that have played since the inaugural season of the tournament. The two teams have faced each other 32 times, where KKR have mostly dominated the competition. Out of the 32, KKR have won 21 games, while PBKS have won 11.

PBKS have had a woeful time at their home in Mullanpur. PBKS have lost 4 matches in a row and have dearly missed their captain Shikhar Dhawan. The PBKS captain has not played due to a shoulder injury and is expected to return against KKR. It will be a huge boost for the side, who have tried everything at the top order, albeit, without success.

KKR are firmly placed in the second position in the Indian Premier League table and will hope to continue their solid run in the tournament. They are only a few wins from the qualification, and what better way to grab the maximum number of points at home? KKR have only lost one match at home - against RR, and that too because of a freak century from Jos Buttler.

Shreyas Iyer's KKR are poised to face PBKS following their nerve-racking win over RCB in their previous match. KKR huffed and puffed in the final over of their 222-run defense, ultimately winning by one run. Gautam Gambhir, KKR's mentor and two-time IPL-winning captain, will undoubtedly be disappointed with the outcome and will seek to have greater influence over the game.