IPL 2024, PBKS vs SRH: Arshdeep Singh's 4-29 goes in vain; Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Punjab Kings by 2 runs. Top takeaways for Punjab and Hyderabad from the match.
Brief Scores: SRH 182/9 (Nitish 64, Arshdeep 4/29) beat PBKS 180/6 (Shashank 46*, Bhuvneshwar 2/32) by 2 runs.
Player of the Match: Nitish Reddy (64 runs in 37 balls).
Deciding to bowl first, Punjab Kings (PBKS) were sailing smoothly at the start. But Nitish Kumar Reddy’s superb 64-run knock pushed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a fighting total of 182/9. At Mulllanpur, the visiting side kept on taking regular wickets. The 27-ball 67-run seventh wicket stand carried PBKS close, but SRH held their nerve for a 2-run victory.
Key Takeaways from PBKS vs SRH, Match 23, IPL 2024- Winning Team (SRH)
Nitish Reddy paid the faith back
One of the greatest things about Sunrisers is that they always show faith in the youngsters. From Abdul Samad, and Abhishek Sharma to Rahul Tripathi, the list is endless. The new inclusion in the category is the 20-year-old allrounder from Andhra Pradesh, Nitish Reddy.
Coming at 39/3 at the start of the sixth over, he showed tremendous maturity. He took a few balls to settle in but then launched the beast mode. The way he pulled Kagiso Rabada for a six over long leg displayed how quickly he could pick up lengths. Even against Harpreet Brar, he recorded a 22-run over to celebrate his maiden IPL fifty in 32 balls.
Nitish Reddy’s 37-ball 64-run knock recovered the 2016 champions from their early struggle. He would catch more attention going into the tournament.
Read More: IPL 2024, SRH vs CSK: Clever bowling by pacers, calm batting by upper order gifts second win to SRH
SRH seek field improvement
The fielding standard of Hyderabad has dropped terribly. They dropped too many catches in the field. There were a few misfields that allowed batters to come back for two runs.
Even in the last over of the game, Hyderabad dropped three straight chances. On two occasions, the ball bounced off their hand to sail over the rope for a six. To be consistent going into the tournament, they need to improve their fielding.
Key Takeaways from PBKS vs SRH, Match 23, IPL 2024- Losing Team (PBKS)
Arshdeep and Harshal came good with more role clarity
Sunrisers Hyderabad have been fantastic with the bat in hand in the first six overs. For Punjab, they aimed to pick wickets at the top. Arshdeep Singh removed the dangerous-looking Travis Head (21) with a good-length delivery. Two balls later, he found the outside edge of Aiden Markram on a two-ball duck. Those early wickets pushed SRH on the backfoot.
The Punjab management gave a different role to Harshal Patel with the ball. Coming in the middle overs, he sent back Rahul Tripathi (14) with a slower short delivery. Patel caged the ‘big fish’ Heinrich Klassen, who miscued the good-length ball into the hands of the long-off.
Arshdeep ended with 4/29, while Harshal finished with 2/30. Both were given role clarity by the team management, and they stood out with wickets at crucial junctures.
Punjab look for contributions from their top-order
In two back-to-back encounters, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma almost took them home. But the Kings need more runs from their top order. Jonny Bairstow has struggled so far in the tournament with just 81 runs in four innings. Even Shikhar Dhawan after a good start, hasn’t got any runs.
At number three, Prabhsimran Singh has managed just 109 runs in five innings. He would need to fire more to give them stability. With Atharva Taide and Rilee Rossouw waiting on the benches, time is running out for Bairstow and Prabhsimran. Shashank’s 25-ball 46* runs and Ashutosh’s 15-ball 33* brought them close but it was never enough.
Statistical highlights for PBKS vs SRH, Mullanpur
Punjab now has the joint most wickets (9) in powerplay over in IPL 2024.
Hyderabad has the third-highest strike rate (184.89) as a team in the death overs (16-20) in IPL 2024.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has dismissed Shikhar Dhawan three times in T20s.
Points Table scenario and what’s next
With the win, SRH moved to the fifth position with a net run rate (NRR) of +0.344. Punjab stayed at number six with a damaged NRR of -0.196.
Up next, table toppers Rajasthan Royals (RR) will host the inconsistent Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 10 at the Samai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.
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