Shreyas Iyer leads by example as five-time champions are eliminated despite Sam Curran's 88. Chennai Super Kings are officially out of the tournament with nearly a month of IPL still to play. On Wednesday, for a change, their batting unit, driven by Sam Curran's 88, scored 190, but Punjab comfortably overhauled the total, giving themselves some breathing room as the playoff race heats up. With just two points separating the top team and fifth spot, every win counts as Punjab travels to Dharamsala for their last three home matches.
Punjab Kings strive for 190 to achieve second rank in the points table and eliminate Chennai Super Kings.
Picture credit : TIE Shreyas Iyer
At the halfway stage, with dew prevalent, the target of 191 seemed within reach, a total that Punjab's batting unit could easily overcome if they performed at their best. The biggest advantage of this revamped team is its top three batsmen, who are all in good touch, having individually scored over 300 runs, and it is from this segment that the bulk of their runs come. Although the middle order is still relatively untested, their current responsibility is to complete the task initiated by the top order. This strategy worked out perfectly, with captain Shreyas Iyer leading from the front with a score of 72.
Priyansh Arya, who had scored his maiden century against Chennai at Mullanpur, scored only 23 runs here, with 20 of those runs coming in boundaries. However, Prabhsimran Singh was at his most destructive, coming in as an Impact Sub, where his role is to maximise the Powerplay and inflict maximum damage.
The domestic circuit and this IPL have recently highlighted his capacity to prolong his innings while maintaining an adventurous approach – as illustrated by his switch-hit off Sunil Narine in the previous game. In pursuit of a substantial total, Prabhsimran partnered with Shreyas to establish a commanding position for his team, scoring 54 off 36 deliveries with five fours and three sixes.