LSG vs PBKS: LSG finish strong with 196/6, Arshdeep Singh concedes 52

Overs0.2

Score5 - 1

Mohammad Shami to Cooper Connolly, FOUR! A poor delivery from Mohammad Shami! Too full, down the leg side, Cooper Connolly uses the pace of the ball and tickles it through fine leg for a boundary to get off the mark.

W

Overs0.1

Score0 - 1

Mohammad Shami to Priyansh Arya, OUT! TAKEN! Mohammad Shami strikes first ball. A perfect start for LSG. Mohammad Shami bangs its short, around the right shoulder of Priyansh Arya. Arya swivels and looks to pull it, but gets it high on the splice of the bat. The ball lobs in the air towards short mid-wicket. Arjun Tendulkar moves a bit forward and takes the easiest of the catches. Priyansh Arya walks back for a golden duck.

Welcome back for Punjab's batting reply. Josh Inglis goes out, and in comes Digvesh Singh as LSG's Impact Sub. It will be the left-hand, right-hand combination of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh to open the innings for PBKS. Mohammad Shami will steam in first up. Arya to face the first ball. Here we go!

Punjab bowlers show promise in phases - Punjab Kings had a mixed outing with the ball, showing flashes of brilliance alongside a few costly overs. Azmatullah Omarzai and Marco Jansen were outstanding with both the new ball and at the death, combining for three wickets while also keeping things tight. Yuzvendra Chahal controlled the middle overs superbly with figures of 2/25, helping shift the momentum back in Punjab's favour. Shashank Singh also made an impact with the ball, removing the dangerous Josh Inglis at a crucial stage, a wicket that could prove significant in the context of the total. However, Arshdeep Singh endured a difficult outing, conceding 52 runs in his three overs. Punjab’s batters now need to rise to the occasion to keep their campaign alive in the tournament. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

A quick chat - Marco Jansen feels LSG have posted a good total on this wicket. He says the surface has played nicely overall, but a few deliveries held up slightly. Adds that as the ball got older, batting became much easier. Reflecting on his own performance, he laughs and says he is just happy to pick up a wicket after a long wait, adding that it always feels good to contribute to the team. Asked about the chase, he jokes that he should probably ask the batters for advice before adding that the top order know exactly what they need to do and will look to have a good crack at the target.

LSG recover well after early jolts - Lucknow Super Giants got off to a flying start, with Josh Inglis taking 16 runs off the very first over, but they soon slipped to 20/2. Inglis, though, continued his excellent form and kept the innings together, while Ayush Badoni’s brisk 43 off 18 balls provided the much-needed momentum. Rishabh Pant then joined Inglis for a crucial 65-run stand, with the Australian also bringing up a fine half-century. After Inglis was dismissed for 72, the scoring rate dipped slightly, but Abdul Samad’s late cameo of 37 off just a few deliveries gave LSG a strong finish heading into the break.

Punjab pull it back but LSG finish strong - A slightly inconsistent batting effort from Lucknow Super Giants, but they have still managed to post a competitive total on the board, though they would have hoped for a few more runs. Punjab Kings did well to pull things back at the death, conceding just 10 runs across the 18th and 19th overs. However, the 17-run final over off Arshdeep Singh tilted the momentum slightly back towards Lucknow, keeping this contest nicely balanced.

4

Overs19.6

Score196 - 6

Arshdeep Singh to Abdul Samad, FOUR! A boundary to end the innings. 1 run off the first 3 balls, but the over ends up going for 17 runs. LSG finish with 196/6. Arshdeep switches to around the wicket and slips in a full ball, outside off. With two men inside the circle at short third, Samad opens the bat face and slices it, clearing both men and picking up a boundary. A forgettable outing for Arshdeep as he finishes with figures of 3-0-52-0.

4

Overs19.5

Score190 - 6

Arshdeep Singh to Abdul Samad, FOUR! Not where Samad intended, but he will take it. Back to the wide yorker, outside off. Abdul throws his hands at the ball, looking to go over cover. The ball flies off an outside edge and goes well wide of short third to his right for a boundary.

6

Overs19.4

Score186 - 6

Arshdeep Singh to Abdul Samad, SIX! Abdul Samad finally gets one away! Arshdeep moves away from the yorker plan and pays the price. He bangs it into the surface, across the batter. Samad is standing outside the line of the off stump and he drags the pull over mid-wicket for a six.

0

Overs19.3

Score180 - 6

Arshdeep Singh to Abdul Samad, No single taken! Arshdeep spots Samad shuffle and he bowls a straighter line this time. Low full toss, closer to the off stump. Abdul chips it in front of long on. Arjun is halfway through but Abdul sends him back.

0

Overs18.6

Score179 - 6

Vijaykumar Vyshak to Arjun Tendulkar, Vyshak goes wide on the crease and digs it in short, around the left shoulder. Tendulkar ducks under it. It did not look to be over the head, but Arjun has taken the review, hoping to overturn the decision of the fair delivery to a wide for height. Arjun's head is measured at 1.913 metres and the ball is passing him at 1.636 metres. It is a fair delivery. Just 6 runs off the over. It has been 14 balls since the last boundary.

1

Overs18.4

Score178 - 6

Vijaykumar Vyshak to Arjun Tendulkar, Switches to around the wicket and serves it on a length, on off. Tendulkar smacks it back towards the bowler. Vyshak sticks out the left boot and the ball deflects off his ankle towards cover. Just a single.

1

Overs18.1

Score174 - 6

Vijaykumar Vyshak to Arjun Tendulkar, At 134.1 kph, angling away, on a back of a length. Tendulkar punches it on the up to the right of mid off and hurries to the other end.

W

Overs17.5

Score172 - 6

Marco Jansen to Mukul Choudhary, OUT! CAUGHT! A fine catch by Praveen Dubey. Fuller in length by Marco, on middle and leg. Mukul Choudhary clears the front leg and looks to whip it away using his bottom hand. He does not connect on the lofted hit as well as he would have liked and it goes towards wide long on. The sub fielder, Dubey moves across to his right and dives to take a good catch. 4 runs and 2 wickets in the last 7 balls. Good phase for PBKS.

W

Overs16.6

Score169 - 5

Shashank Singh to Josh Inglis, OUT! CAUGHT! An unusually straight long on comes right into play as Inglis holes out. Bowled into the surface by Singh, outside off. Inglis shuffles across and stands tall to go down the ground with a flat bat. He does not quite get the desired elevation and Shreyas Iyer sprints to his left and takes the catch close to his chest. End of a top knock by Inglis.

6

Overs16.2

Score164 - 4

Shashank Singh to Abdul Samad, SIX! High and handsome! Shashank Singh rolls his fingers over the ball but dishes it out right in the slot, on off. Samad clears the front leg and with a clean swing of the arms, he dispatches it over long on for a biggie.

1

Overs16.1

Score158 - 4

Shashank Singh to Josh Inglis, Lands it on a good length, on off. Inglis plays the lofted stroke on the up back over the bowler's head. Shreyas Iyer at a straightish long on cuts it off. Single taken.

Strategic Break! Punjab Kings have pulled things back a bit in the last few overs, but they need to finish well in the death overs. They will be hoping to get the wicket of Josh Inglis quickly, which could make a difference of 20-30 runs in the final total. Lucknow Super Giants have the platform to go big in the last four overs, but they are playing one batter short, which could lead them to take calculated risks and not just swing for the hills. It will be an exciting phase, and it could not only define this game but also define the season for Punjab. Also, Shashank Singh to bowl after the break.

6

Overs15.5

Score157 - 4

Marco Jansen to Abdul Samad, SIX! Up, up and over! Short of a length, pitching it on middle and slanting it away. Abdul Samad skips down the track and flat bats it back over the bowler's head for half a dozen.