After being unbeaten for 7 matches, PBKS were given a reality check and a slight wake-up call as they went down in New Chandigarh to the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Their batting did really well to get past 220, but their bowling, which has been their weak point and concern, was exposed big time, and these are areas that they need to work on going forward. PBKS had their moments and fought well, but failed to clinch the big moments in the game. PBKS stays at the top despite the loss and will want to look at areas to work on. We will try to list them out for you here.
Conceding 84 runs in the power play while defending 222 dented PBKS’ chances
After posting 222/4 on the board, PBKS would have ideally hoped for early wickets; knock off the top 3 and put further pressure on RR. That was the plan, but it did not quite work out for the home side. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a few dot balls before launching, and he made 43 off 16 balls out of the first 51 runs in the opening stand before the teenage sensation was dismissed.
But there was no respite for the hosts, as Yashasvi Jaiswal shifted gears and scored quickly and managed a half-century of his own. Dhruv Jurel struggled for timing, but these left-handers were more than enough to deal with PBKS bowling. It meant that RR made 84/1 in 6 overs of power play, getting a perfect headstart to the chase. If we compare that with PBKS, they made 65/1 in the power play. So, RR were ahead by 19 runs and that went a long way in deciding the course of the game.
PBKS needs to work and improve their bowling, because it has been found wanting in back-to-back games. In New Delhi, they conceded 264 runs. Yes, they chased it down, but those are a lot of runs. This is an area they will have to work on and improve by leaps and bounds if they want to become a champion side going ahead. Playoffs are almost secure, but the next step will be important for them.
Underperformance from the pacers exposes problems
Another thing to note from last night’s performance was the performance of the Punjab bowlers, especially the pacers. The spinners had a good day and brought the home team back in the game. The wily Yuzvendra Chahal picked up 3 wickets for 36 runs in 4 overs. Impact Player Harpreet Brar may not have got a wicket, but gave away 25 runs in 4 overs in a 220+ run chase. So, well done to the spinners.
But the pacers were found wanting and disappointing as well. Mind you, they are not rookie pacers; all three of them are international bowlers representing their respective countries. It’s one thing to have one bowler have an off-day. But having three of them at the same time and match is a recipe for disaster and a headache for the captain. Arshdeep Singh gave away 68 runs in 4 overs despite picking up a wicket.
Lockie Ferguson, back in the side, went for 57 runs and remained wicketless in 4 overs. Marco Jansen went for 41 runs in 3.2 overs. There was no usage of Marcus Stoinis by the captain, and Shashank Singh did not play. This is a serious concern for PBKS despite sitting pretty at the top of the table. The international stars need to get their act together and bowl better than they did last night. This is a good wake-up call for them. To put things into perspective, the trio conceded 166 runs in 11.2 overs in a 223 chase. The game was as good as over here.
PBKS will be hoping to sort this out and get it right, since these bowlers are quality bowlers and can bounce back with a vengeance.
Shreyas Iyer’s rare off-day with regards to the flow of the innings dents PBKS progress a bit
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has been in superb form and has batted according to the situation so far. He has been in a rich vein of form and in good flow so far. But last night, we won’t say Iyer missed out, but he looked a little less fluent in their batting. He came out to bat at 4, and largely went at a run a ball. RR bowled with the right plans to him, and that worked for him and the team. Iyer has done most things right, but last night was rare in which he batted slowly and may have cost the team a few runs.
He came out to bat when the score was 96/2 in the 9th over. He took his time by getting his eye in and then went to run a ball. While the others above him struck it well, and Stoinis as well did the perfect role of the finisher, Shreyas struggled to get timing and power with the ball. He still managed to score 30 off 27 balls with one four and one six to his name as he gave some stability to the innings. But the strike rate took a beating. It meant that PBKS were around 10-15 short of what they could have been.
We are being hypocritical about Iyer, as he has done well so far. But he sets high standards and will soon realise where he went wrong. Shreyas will look to bounce back and play at the right tempo, which we feel will happen as PBKS are a quality side, and one bad match or an off match doesn’t make you a bad player or something. Iyer will bounce back for sure.
What Lies Ahead
So, PBKS after this loss will be back in action on Sunday evening when they travel away to face GT in Ahmedabad. While RR will host DC in Jaipur on Friday night. So, a lot of cricket to look forward to for us. Tonight, it’s MI hosting SRH from the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. We shall wait and see who comes out on top in this clash later tonight.
Also Read: PBKS vs RR: Donovan Ferreira & Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 50s Inflicts 1st Defeat For PBKS