KKR vs PBKS Emotional Rollercoaster: Prabhsimran goes ballistic, Shreyas surprisingly fires and Punjab leave Eden Gardens stunned

.@PunjabKingsIPL are roaring again 🦁

A special victory at the Eden Gardens for #PBKS who secure the highest successful run chase in the IPL and T20s ❤️

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/T9DxmbgIWu#TATAIPL | #KKRvPBKS pic.twitter.com/FNxVD8ZeW6

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 26, 2024

Blistering innings, unfortunate end

Prabhsimran Singh had developed an unfortunate habit. Frequently used as the Impact Player by Punjab Kings, he almost always comes out to bat, goes bang-bang, then gets out in the 20s and 30s. Of the 8 innings before Friday night in Kolkata, Prabhsimran crossed 19 five times but didn’t cross 35. At Eden Gardens though, he seemed to put it right in some style. He took Punjab to a blistering start, smashing Harshit Rana, Dushmantha Chameera, Anukul Roy in the powerplay. Then came Sunil Narine, and Prabhsimran welcomed him with a four and six. The 20-ball 54 was a brilliant knock… but it came to an end with a run out at the end of 24-run over. Jonny Bairstow smashed Anukul Roy 4-6-4-4-6 but off the last ball, took off for a single that saw Prabhsimran fall short thanks to a Narine direct hit. As he walked off, he put the bat face close to his helmet grille and roared in frustration. A soft end after a stunning start.

Curran’s new change-up: A quicker one

Sam Curran has developed so many slower-ball variations that he rarely nudged 130kph, let alone 140 which once he regularly clocked. But for once, he was forced to rev up his pace and was indeed rewarded. Phil Salt had clouted him for a pair of flat sixes, both off slower balls. The first one hovered around the 115kph mark, the second even slower at 109 kph. Salt would judge the length and just swing through the line. Curran had already conceded 30 runs in 14 balls and he wanted a shot at redemption. He reverted to his biggest strength, that is to bowl a yorker at full-pelt. The ball only measured 131 clicks on the speedo, but it was pinpoint accurate. The ball drifted in a tad from his wrists, and upon landing, block-hole or thereabouts straightened to blast the off-stump. The batsman was beaten chiefly for pace. Perhaps this is his new trick—reverse the routine. Batsmen are expecting him to take the pace off the ball. So slip one faster, and beat them for pace. It worked.

Butter fingers, and gloves

Punjab Kings needed to break the KKR opening partnership early. Phil Salt and Sunil Narine have been key to Kolkata’s fast starts eventually ending up in big totals but with their all-out attacking approach, there is also the downside of giving opportunities for the opponents. Punjab actually did well to create these chances. But unfortunately, they came to Eden Gardens with butter fingers. Narine was dropped by Harpreet Brar as early as the third over. Then Salt was put down twice, one an absolute sitter by Sam Curran. The openers went on to add 138 for the first wicket. Then Andre Rusell was given a life too. A smart field placement saw Arshdeep bowl with a fine fly slip but the outside edge that was heading straight into the hands, but gloved away by a diving Jitesh Sharma. Fortunately, this time around, DreRuss was out the next ball as Arshdeep bowled a bouncer. Harshal did take the catch this time.

Shreyas fires

In an otherwise all-out attacking approach KKR have adopted for this season, Shreyas Iyer has been going slow in the middle order. After starting the season with a 24-ball 39, Shreyas either played short cameos or dropped anchor. There was a 32-ball 34, a 38-ball 38 and a 36-ball 50 thrown into the mix. So it was a little bit of a surprise that he came out to bat in the 16h over when DreRuss got out. The first thought was it would have been the ideal entry point for finisher Rinku Singh. But after struggling with the short balls early on, Shreyas went out all guns blazing this time around. He smashed a 10-ball 28, with intent to go big without taking his time to settle in. Sure, the match situation helped but still, it was a welcome display of aggression from the KKR captain that hasn’t been seen too frequently this year.

A flick for ages

Amidst Shreyas Iyer’s carnage of Sam Curran—6,4, 6, 6— one stroke stood out for its impossible trajectory. The second six, a flick that was both brutal and beautiful. Iyer had premeditated and moved across, assuming that Curran would spear a wide yorker. But he bowled full on middle and leg stump. So Iyer had to readjust. He did so by keeping his front-leg upright, his back knee bent a touch, careful that it did not slide further away, which could have obstructed the path of the bat. It was an awkward pose, but he kept his poise, and let those malleable wrists twist and close and take the ball to the stands over deep midwicket, all the while standing tall and not bending forward as most batsmen naturally do when flicking, Watch out for the snapping wrists, that imparts direction onto the ball. Iyer loved the shot, as he watched it’s stand-ward ascent.