IPL 2023: Sikandar Raza’s brilliance helps PBKS clinch thrilling win over LSG as KL Rahul’s 74 goes in vain

Punjab Kings secured a thrilling last-over win over Lucknow Super Giants by two wickets on Saturday in Lucknow on the back of a brilliant all-round performance by Sikandar Raza.

KL Rahul’s brilliant 74 went in vain as Shahrukh Khan finished off the game in the last over with a fine boundary.

After winning the toss, PBKS decided to put LSG into bat in Lucknow. Once again, it was Kyle Mayers who got the home team off to a great start alongside Rahul, who had a point to make after his slow innings in the win over RCB.

Mayers and Rahul stitched together a partnership of 53 from 7.4 overs before the West Indian all-rounder was dismissed by Harpreet Brar. Deepak Hooda also didn’t last long as Skinader Raza trapped him infront of the stumps with 62 on the board.

Rahul started playing his shots freely and slowly rebuilt the innings with Krunal Pandya as LSG were looking for a big finish. However, Kagiso Rabada had other plans on the day as he first dismissed Pandya and then dismissed last game’s hero Nicholas Pooran for a duck in the same over as the LSG innings was pegged back.

Rahul seemed like their hope for a big score as the rest of the batters struggled on the day. The LSG skipper scored 74 off 56 deliveries before being dismissed in the 19th over as the hosts got to 150.

The final over from Curran delivered a couple of wickets and the LSG innings came to an end at 159 for eight.

The chase from PBKS got off to the worst possible start as Yudhvir Singh stuck with his third delivery to remove Atharva Taide for a duck. Prabhsimran Singh’s poor run continued as Yudhvir castled him in his next over as PBKS found themselves in all sorts of trouble.

Matthew Short once again came to their rescue and steadied the ship with a strong knock of 34. He had Harpreet Singh Bhatia at the other end, but the Australian was sent back to the pavilion by Krishnappa Gowtham with PBKS at 45 for three at the end of the powerplay overs.

Bhatia and Sikandar Raza would come together but the partnership was slow before Krunal broke the partnership. Raza would break the shackles, hitting three sixes with two coming in Krunal’s third over to get some much-needed momentum in PBKS’ favour.

But Bishnoi dismissed Sam Curran to put the brakes back on the innings as PBKS needed 45 from 30 balls. Raza kept the game well and truly alive at this point by getting his maiden IPL fifty.

But then Rahul pulled off a moment of brilliance as he dismissed Jitesh Sharma with a stunning catch to swing the pendulum in LSG’s favour. Shahrukh Khan came in and hit a six off the first ball to make the equation 32 off 24 balls. There was a very close moment when Raza was almost run out in the 17th over, but the PBKS batter just made it in.

He then got a boundary off the last ball of the over to make it 23 off 18 balls. Ravi Bishnoi came on for the 18th over and got the big wicket of Raza to once help LSG get the momentum back. The PBKS all-rounder scored 57.

Shahrukh then got a big six off Wood in the 19th over to bring the equation to 12 off 10 as the tension in the stadium was palpable. Harpreet Brar hit a boundary to release the pressure and put PBKS in the driver’s seat.

But Wood bounced back to dismissed Harpreet as 7 was needed off the final over. Bishnoi came on to bowl the final over and Shahrukh Khan held his nerve and got them home with three balls to spare.