PBKS batters choked on a chase that was well within their reach at the halfway point of the game. They choked in crucial moments, which cost them the trophy. Ricky Ponting & co won’t be happy about this defeat as they fell short by 6 runs while chasing the target of 191 runs. Let’s look at the reasons for PBKS’ defeat in the final against RCB.
One big over
PBKS were well in control of the game with their bowling. They didn’t give any easy runs to them. RCB were 132/4 in 15 overs. They ended with 190/9 in 20 overs. They scored 58 runs in the last 5 overs for the loss of 5 wickets.
It’s a decent score, but what made the difference was that in those 58 runs, Vyshak Vijayakumar conceded just 5 runs in the 18th over and picked the wicket of Jitesh Sharma. Arshdeep Singh conceded just 3 runs in the last over and picked up 3 wickets. They both conceded just 8 runs in their 2 overs. RCB scored 50 runs in the rest of 3 overs. Arshdeep bowled the 16th over and conceded 13 runs. He couldn’t nail the yorkers and went for short balls and length deliveries.
Jamieson bowled the 17th over and conceded 23 runs. He picked the wicket of Liam Livingstone, but overall, it was an expensive over that gave those extra runs and momentum for RCB.
Azmatullah Omarzai conceded 14 runs in the 19th over. Shreyas should have finished his overs before death and kept two overs for Vyshak Vijaykumar. Vysashak is a slightly better bowler compared to Omarzai in the death overs. PBKS had an opportunity to restrict them under 180, but gave 10-15 runs extra. It would have been even more if not for those two brilliant overs from Arshdeep and Vyshak Vijayakumar.
Lack of proper plans by PBKS while chasing
PBKS seemed like they pressed the panic button while chasing. Prabhsimran couldn’t middle the ball well, and tried for the wrong shot against Krunal Pandya and lost his wicket ( 26 off 22 ). Josh Inglis, who was playing well against other bowlers, took a risk against the best bowler of the day, Krunal.
He was gone for 39 off 23. He couldn’t convert his start into a big score. Shreyas Iyer was dismissed early ( 1 off 2 ) by Romario Shepherd. None of the batters from the top 4 took the responsibility of playing a long innings in the big final.
Nehal Wadhera, who was supposed to take on the spinners, struggled against both Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma. He couldn’t time the ball well and wasted deliveries, which created more pressure. His struggling knock ( 15 off 18 ) came to an end in the 17th over.
His slow knock and quick wickets in the top order increased the required run rate, so Marcus Stoinis was forced to go for the kill from the first ball. He connected the first ball well for a six butwas caught at the point in the very next ball.
Bhuveneshwar Kumar used all his experience in the 17th over and dismissed both Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis with conceding just 8 runs. Shashank Singh was fighting as a lone warrior, be he could only reduce the defeat margin. PBKS required 29 runs in the last over. Hazlewood bowled a juicy full toss but, Shashank missed it. He nailed the yorker in the next ball. Two dot balls and RCB sealed the match.
Shashank hit 22 runs in the next 4 balls, but that one miss in the first ball cost the match. PBKS lost the trophy by 6 runs.