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2 days ago
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Josh Hazlewood dismantled PBKS in the powerplay. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
Punjab Kings’ first Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff in 11 years could end in a bit of a nightmare as they were blown away for just 101 runs by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1. Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma took three wickets each as PBKS were skittled out in just over 14 overs. PBKS thus equalled the record for the lowest ever score by a team in an IPL playoff.
The record was previously held exclusive held by the Lucknow Super Giants, who were all out for 101 in 16.3 overs while chasing a target of 183 against the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator of the 2023 IPL. On Thursday, PBKS were all out for 101 in 14.1 overs.
While this may have equalled the record for lowest score in an IPL playoff, it still is only the third lowest for post-league stage matches in the history of the league – the playoff system of two qualifiers and an eliminator before the final was introduced in the fourth season of the IPL in 2011. That is still held by the Deccan Chargers, who were all out for 82 against RCB in the third-place playoff in 2010. The second lowest is 87 by Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final of the inaugural 2008 season against Rajasthan Royals.
Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal blew PBKS’s big-hitting top order away early in the match. Priyansh Arya was dismissed by Dayal in the second over for seven runs after which Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar in the third for 18 off 10 balls. Hazlewood then got the wickets of PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer (2) and Josh Inglis (4) in the fourth and sixth overs, leaving PBKS four wickets down in the powerplay. They lost their fifth in the very first over after powerplay with Dayal sending back Nehal Wadhera for eight runs in 10 balls.
Suyash Sharma then took over the carnage, dismissing the big-hitting Shashank Singh for just three runs in the ninth over and then debutant Musheer Khan for a three-ball duck. Musheer had been sent in as PBKS’s Impact Sub.
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