Decades ago, in 1970s came the
transformation from long 5 day Tests to One day Internationals – in 1980s
remember that in 50 over matches, scores of 250+ were considered winning
totals.
Life has changed totally as we
witnessed 257 runs amassed in 20 overs in IPL – 38th match of the
Season at Mohali between Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. Shikhar Dhawan would rue his decision to win
the toss and field first !!
The injury list at the Indian Premier
League (IPL) 2023 is growing. Yesterday
Washington Sundar cried off and today Raj Angad Bawa became the latest victim.
The 20-year-old, suffered a shoulder injury, which has ruled him out of the
tournament. It paved way for a 22-year-old Gurnoor Brar to make an impact. As we watch, Marcus Stoinis is coming off the
field after getting initial treatment from the physio , attending to his left
index finger. Ayush Badoni who was successful
with the bat came on to bowl that solitary ball to complete the over bowling the last remaining legal ball
The match started differently – Capt KL
Rahul was dropped off the very first ball of the match by Taide at Point,
debutant Gurnoor was left crying. In what was a defining moment Muktsar-born fast bowler Gurnoor Brar made his
debut for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in
their 8th game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Only recently in Dec 2022, he made his Ranji
debut in an Elite Group match against Railways, excelled with figures of
12.3-5-16-4.
Today, he realized that life could be
hard – first ball catch dropped, only one run scored in the first but the next
two went everywhere – 42 runs conceded in 3 overs. H is third one - the eighth
of the LSG innings – was hit all around for 24.
Today he conceded four fours and three sixes, with one of the maximums
coming off a free hit.
By 8 overs, LSG were over 100 and
then 200 in 16 overs as they raced to the second-highest total in IPL history. LSG's
highest in the IPL. Jitesh Sharma saved a few runs in the last over by diving
to his right, and thus kept LSG under 260.
Capt KL Rahul who was blamed in the last
chase for batting like snail, was out today for 12 in 19 balls to Rabada. Kyle
Meyers sparkled with 54 in 24 balls with 4 sixers; Ayush Badoni made 43 off 24
(3 sixers); Stoinis 72 off 40 delveries with 6 4s and five sixers; Nicholas
Pooran rubbed more with 45 off 19 – as LSG amassed 257.
Those who continuously blame CSK as a
weak bowling unit, need to take notice of the 200s scored freely against other
teams – today it was a strong bowling attack of Punjab that leaked 250+
Gurnoor Bran 42 in 3 overs; Arshdeep
Singh 54/4; Kagiso Rabada 52/4; Sikandar Raza 17/1; Rahul Chahar 29/4; Sam
Curran 38/3 and Liam Livingstone 19/1.
Most unlikely that Punjab would end
up somewhere closer to LSG today
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
28..4.2023
No comments:
Post a Comment