IPL 2024, PBKS vs SRH: SunRisers beat Punjab Kings' by 2 runs

SunRisers won their first match away from home in IPL 2024 and they were made to work hard for 2 points by Punjab in a high-quality game at the newly-built stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday. SRH managed to win the last-over thriller by just 2 runs after they survived a scare from Punjab's new-found lower-order batting heroes Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma.

All hopes were lost when Punjab needed 51 runs in the last 3 overs, but Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, PBKS's heros from their win over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, combined and stitched a 66-run partnership in just 27 balls. 29 runs were needed in the final over and Pat Cummins entrusted Jaydev Unadkat with the responsibility of closing it out. 27 runs were scored as Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh gave it their all in a fine show of big-hitting. However, PBKS fell short of the target by 3 runs to suffer their 3rd match of the IPL 2024 season.

SunRisers, thanks to a sensational batting show from 20-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy and a all-round bowling show, jumped to the 5th spot with 6



points from 5 matches in the IPL 2024 points table.

Punjab were reeling at 114 for 6 after T20 World Cup hopeful Jitesh Sharma fell in the 16th over. It was exactly after 15.3 overs that Shashank and Ashutosh joined hands in their big win over Gujarat when PBKS chased down 200. However, 51 in 3 overs proved a bit too much for Shashank and Ashutosh, who have stolen the limelight once again.

Nonetheless, it was a disappointing batting show from the big guns of Punjab, including Shikhar Dhawan (14) and Jonny Bairstow, who failed to trouble the scorers after his woodwork was disturbed by Pat Cummisn as early as the 2nd over.

Punjab were reeling at 27 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. HOwever, Sam Curarn (29 off 22) and Sikandar Raza (28) got the chase back on track. Curran fell in the 10th over after which Shashank Singh joined hands with Raza to steady the ship. The Zimbabwe all-rounder, however, threw his wicket away while trying to go big rigth after returning from a strategic break in the 14th over of the chase.