Punjab Kings (PBKS) broke their six-match losing streak with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, May 13, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The Shreyas Iyer-led team concluded the league stage with 15 points and a net run rate of 0.309. Although they are currently placed fourth on the table, their qualification now hinges on the results of Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
PBKS will be hoping that RR lose their final league match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday. If Rajasthan manage to win, they will move to 16 points and secure the remaining top-four spot, thereby knocking Punjab out of the tournament.
A defeat for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Mumbai Indians (MI) will be crucial for both Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). KKR currently sit on 13 points from as many games with a net run rate of 0.011, and even if RR lose, they would still need a big victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) to surpass PBKS on net run rate.
PBKS, on the other hand, will qualify directly if both RR and KKR lose their final league matches. It now remains to be seen which of these three teams will join Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Gujarat Titans (GT), and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the top four.
“Every Batsman Dreams Of It” – PBKS Skipper Shreyas Iyer On Finishing Game With His Century
Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer sealed the game with a six off Mohsin Khan in the 18th over, helping his team chase down the 197-run target and secure victory, while also bringing up his maiden IPL century. Reflecting on his brilliant innings, he said during the post-match presentation (via Cricbuzz):
“It’s a surreal feeling when you finish off the game and score a century. All the batsmen dream of that. Today was one of those days when I personally felt super. Super from within. I was in a great mindspace. I knew what I wanted, knew how the wicket was playing. Kinda reading the situation and how the wicket was playing helped me to score my runs and the partnership was crucial.”
Punjab can no longer finish in the top two. If Shreyas Iyer and his team manage to reach the playoffs, they will take on SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Mullanpur on Wednesday.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.