Reflecting on Punjab Kings’ victory over Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, skipper Sam Curran highlighted the season’s positives. Sam Curran also underscored his own contribution with two wickets and an unbeaten half-century. Sam Curran has been a shining light for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024. He has emerged as a true all-rounder, making significant contributions with both bat and ball. As a bowler, Curran has been amongst the leading wicket-takers for PBKS, claiming 16 wickets in just 13 matches.
Sam Curran utilized his swing bowling effectively, specially with the new ball, and has a knack for picking up crucial wickets in the middle overs, restricting the opposition’s scoring rate. He has scored two fifties this season, including a crucial 63 against the Rajasthan Royals. This knock proved instrumental in helping PBKS chase down a modest target.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) edged past the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a thrilling encounter played on May 15, 2024, at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Rajasthan Royals, who won the toss, elected to bat first. Their innings, however, lacked momentum. Despite a valiant 48 runs from Riyan Parag, wickets tumbled at regular intervals as the PBKS bowlers applied constant pressure. Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm spinner, and Kagiso Rabada, the pacer, emerged as the bowling heroes for Punjab Kings, claiming three wickets each.
Rajasthan Royals were restricted to a manageable total of 144 runs after their 20 overs. Chasing a moderate target, Punjab Kings also encountered some early hiccups. They lost their openers, Jonny Bairstow and Mayank Agarwal, cheaply, finding themselves at a precarious 30 for 2.
However, their captain, Sam Curran, rose to the occasion. He played a captain’s innings, anchoring the chase with a composed 63 runs off just 41 balls. Valuable contributions from Liam Livingstone (28) and Shahrukh Khan (22) in the middle order further steadied the ship. Punjab Kings marched to a 5-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals.
What Sam Curran Said
PBKS bowlers, including Curran, Rahul Chahar, and Harshal Patel, excelled in restricting RR to a total below 150 runs. Nathan Ellis, the Australian pacer who contributed with a wicket, played a crucial role in constraining Jaipur’s run flow, earning praise from Curran for their collective effort.
“We bowled really well as a group. The message was that we had a lot of pride to play for. Ellis was absolutely amazing in his first game of the season. Probably should’ve played him earlier,” the captain said.
Curran discussed the pitch conditions of the day and shared insights into the conversation he had with fellow Englishman Jonny Bairstow before going out to bat. He added,
“When I went in, Jonny said it was quite tough. It was holding a little bit. I didn’t need to take too much risk. I knew on a ground like this, that we just needed a couple of sixes,”
Curran and Bairstow are set to depart to join their English teammates in preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. Curran expressed his enjoyment of the atmosphere within the camp.
“Me and Jonny are leaving tomorrow. It is obviously nice. We have thoroughly enjoyed the season, and I have enjoyed captaining. The atmosphere around the group has been really good. Excited about the World Cup,” he explained.
He also expressed his satisfaction with the performances of the Indian players for the side throughout the season and expressed his belief that the team was on the brink of achieving something significant, despite being eliminated from the playoff race this season due to some unfortunate outcomes in crucial fixtures.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We had so many close games. I feel like the team is close to something. Who knows what the future holds? Loads of positives though. The chase in Kolkata. The way Shashank Singh has come into the team is amazing. Ashutosh as well. Harshal and Arshdeep have bowled well too,” he concluded.