In a dominant display across all facets, the Punjab Kings outclassed the Rajasthan Royals by 5 wickets in their Indian Premier League encounter at Guwahati on Wednesday. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Rajasthan Royals faltered, mustering only 144/9 in their allotted overs.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Tom Kohler-Cadmore (18) fell cheaply, leaving the Royals' batting in tatters. While skipper Sanju Samson (18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (28) offered glimpses of resistance, it was the young Riyan Parag (48) who provided the lone spark with a well-composed knock. Punjab Kings' bowlers, led by Rahul Chahar (2/26) and Harshal Patel (2/28), maintained a stranglehold throughout the innings, restricting the Royals to a below-par total.
Chasing a modest target, Punjab Kings lost their opener Prabhsimran Singh early. Jonny Bairstow (14) found scoring difficult, but Rilee Rossouw's quickfire 22 off 13 balls provided momentum. However, it was skipper Sam Curran (63*) who orchestrated the chase with a composed and authoritative knock. Jitesh Sharma (22) and Ashutosh Sharma (17*) provided crucial support in the lower order, ensuring Punjab crossed the finish line comfortably with 7 balls to spare. Avesh Khan (2/28) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/31) were the only Rajasthan bowlers to pick up wickets, but their efforts proved insufficient against a dominant Punjab Kings outfit.
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