Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 2 : Opener and wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer's fifty stormed the Punjab Kings side to register victory over Lucknow Super Giants by 8 wickets at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.
With this win, the PBKS side moved to second position in the points table of the ongoing 18th edition of the cash-rich league whereas the Rishabh Pant-led side slipped to sixth position following the loss.
Chasing a total of 172 runs, PBKS openers Prabhsimran Singh (69 runs off 34 balls) and Priyansh Arya (8 runs off 9 balls) attacked the Super Giants bowlers from the first over. Both batters built a quickfire partnership of 26 runs from 17 balls before Arya was sent back to the pavilion in the third over.
Following Arya's departure, team skipper and right-hand batter Shreyas Iyer came out in the middle to bat along with Prabhsimran.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side completed their 50-run mark on the second ball of the sixth over as Prabsimran slammed a boundary on the bowling of right-arm leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
Prabhsimran completed his half-century on the last ball of the seventh over as the right-hand batter took a single on the bowling of left-arm spinner M. Siddharth.
The Punjab-based franchise completed the 100-run mark on the first ball of the 10th over as Iyer took a single on the bowling of right-arm seamer Shardul Thakur.
At the score of 110, the visitors lost the wicket of set batter Prabhsimran who went back to the dressing room after scoring 69 runs which was laced with nine boundaries and three maximums in his innings.
After Prabhsimran's dismissal, left-hand batter Nehal Wadhera came out to bat as an impact player as he joined skipper Iyer in the middle. Both players played positively and guided their side to victory in the 17th over with eight wickets in hand.
For the Lucknow franchise, all two wickets were snapped by uncapped leg-spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi in his spell of four overs where he conceded 30 runs.
Earlier in the first innings, after PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first, LSG was off to a poor start as a slower delivery from Arshdeep Singh removed an in-form Mitchell Marsh on a golden duck, leaving LSG at 1/1 in 0.4 overs.
In the third over, Aiden Markram broke the shackles for LSG, hitting Arshdeep for three boundaries in all parts of the ground. He continued his carnage with a four and a six over deep backward point against Lockie Ferguson, but an inswinging delivery crashed into his stumps. Markram was gone for a well-made 28 in 18 balls (with four boundaries and a six). LSG was 32/2 in 3.5 overs.
A poor pull attempt meant that skipper Rishabh Pant did not survive for long either, as a catch by Yuzi Chahal at short fine leg on a Glenn Maxwell delivery sent him back for just two. LSG was 35/3 in 4.5 overs.
The pair of Nichola Pooran and Ayush Badoni took LSG to 39/3 at the end of the powerplay in six overs, making it a disappointing start in front of home fans in Lucknow.
Pooran collected a couple of boundaries against Maxwell and a six against Marcus Stoinis. LSG had their 50 runs up in 7.1 overs.
In the 10th over, Pooran smoked Chahal for two fours and sixes, collecting 15 runs to end the first 10 overs at 76/3, with him (33*) and Badoni (11*) unbeaten.
A counter-attacking fifty-run stand between these two came up in 37 balls. A fine catch from Maxwell on a pacey delivery from Chahal ended Pooran's audacious knock at 44 in 30 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes. LSG was 89/4 in 11.3 overs.
LSG reached their 100 runs in 13 overs, with a six by Ayush Badoni over extra deep cover. His partnership with David Miller (19 in 18 balls, with three fours) was a short-lived one as the South African was caught by Prabhsimran Singh on a Marco Jansen delivery after collecting some boundaries against spinners. LSG was 119/5 in 15.5 overs.
In the 18th over, Badoni and Abdul Samad looted runs against Arshdeep, bringing the 150-run mark in 17.4 overs. The duo hit three fours and a six, getting a total of 20 runs. However, Jansen gave away just eight runs in the penultimate over.
Badoni went high but got caught by Maxwell for 41 in 33 balls, with a four and three sixes. LSG was 166/6 in 19.2 overs. Samad's cameo was also finished by a catch from Priyansh Arya for 27 in 12 balls (with two fours and two sixes). LSG was 169/7 in 19.4 overs.
LSG finished at 171/7 in 20 overs, with Shardul Thakur (3*) and Avesh Khan (0*) unbeaten.
Arshdeep (3/43) was the top wicket-taker for PBKS. Lockie, Chahal, Maxwell and Jansen were also among the wickets.
Brief Score: Lucknow Super Giants 171/7 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Ayush Badoni 41, Arshdeep Singh 3/43) vs Punjab Kings 177/2 in 16.2 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 69, Shreyas Iyer 52, Digvesh Singh Rathi 2/30).