The 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, saw Punjab Kings (PBKS) emerge victorious against Rajasthan Royals (RR) by five wickets.
RR won the toss and elected to bat first. Their innings, however, got off to a shaky start with the dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the very first over. Sanju Samson and Tom Kohler-Cadmore added some runs for the second wicket, but their scoring rate remained slow. Both top-order batsmen were dismissed soon after, leaving the responsibility on Riyan Parag and Ravichandran Ashwin to rebuild the innings. The duo provided some stability, but Ashwin’s dismissal triggered a collapse as wickets fell in clusters. It was the local hero, Parag, who played a crucial knock to take the Royals past the 140-run mark.
PBKS bowling attack displayed collective effort, with Sam Curran, Harshal Patel, and Rahul Chahar picking up two wickets each. Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis chipped in with a wicket apiece to restrict the Royals to a manageable total.
Trent Boult drew first blood for the hosts in the chase, dismissing Prabhsimran Singh for a mere six runs. Avesh Khan delivered a double blow, removing Rilee Rossouw for 22 and Shashank Singh for a duck, further denting Punjab’s chase. Yuzvendra Chahal joined the party by dismissing Jonny Bairstow for 14. The Royals kept the run rate in check while picking up wickets at regular intervals, restricting Punjab to 63/4 after 10 overs.
However, the tide turned with a crucial 50-run stand for the fifth wicket between Curran and Jitesh Sharma. While Chahal managed to break the partnership by dismissing Sharma for 22, the stage was set for a captain’s knock. Curran, leading from the front, smashed an unbeaten 63 off just 41 balls, taking his team to victory. Ashutosh Sharma provided valuable support at the other end to guide the visitors home, handing RR their fourth consecutive defeat of the season.
With this loss, Rajasthan has conceded the top spot in the points table. Conversely, for the first time ever, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have secured the top spot on the points table.
Sam Curran, who led from the front with both bat and ball (2 wickets for 24 runs and an unbeaten 63), was deservedly adjudged the Player of the Match.
Scorecard:
Rajasthan Royals: 144-9, Overs 20, Riyan Parag 48, Sam Curran 2/24
Punjab Kings: 145-5, Overs 18.5, Sam Curran 63, Avesh Khan 2/28