Punjab Kings squandered an opportunity to win the match against Rajasthan Royals as they could not score four runs in the last over to lose by two runs in the IPL 2021 encounter.
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Last over and a win for Punjab Kings. It is a match not made in heaven at all. How does one manage to lose a match when you need four runs off six balls with so many wickets in hand? Just ask Punjab Kings. Kartik Tyagi delivered an over for the ages as he nailed wide yorkers and took two wickets brilliantly. The potency of the yorker and the line was brilliant, meaning just one run came in the final over. The win probability for Punjab Kings in all websites had put them at 100 percent. By the end of the over, it was Rajasthan Royals who had stolen victory from the jaws of defeat.
In IPL 2020 and 2021, Punjab Kings have made it a habit of losing in spectacular style in the final overs. “It’s a tough one to swallow. We have been a team that has experienced games like these before. We need to see how we can handle pressure better. Trying to finish in the 18th over sometimes you go too hard and lose your way and let the opponents in,” KL Rahul said.
With Punjab Kings botching up yet another chase in the final over, here is a look at the other instances where they failed to cross the finish line or they took the game deep.
If you thought that the match against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 was an epic choke, then the game against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 went one step ahead. It was a match that was riddled with umpiring errors. Chris Jordan was ruled one-run short which would prove to be costly at the end. With Punjab Kings needing just one run off three balls, they seemed to have won the game. But, they lost wickets in the final two balls and the game went into the Super Over. In that, they were undone by the brilliance of Kagiso Rabada as Delhi Capitals won a tense match. It was a confounding match that still cannot be believed.
Yet another match, technically, which they should have won in normal time. But, with Punjab Kings, the extraordinary is always round the corner. Punjab Kings needed nine runs in the final over. Now against Mumbai Indians, it is difficult against Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best death bowlers in the world. Bumrah had sent back Rahul for 77 and they needed 22 off 12 balls. 13 runs came in the over bowled by Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Still, nine runs with five wickets needed was not a difficult proposition for the modern batsmen. But, Punjab Kings managed only eight runs and the game went into a Super Over. In a brilliant exhibition of bowling, Jasprit Bumrah conceded just five runs and took two wickets. But, Mohammed Shami matched him for yorkers and perfect lines. He also conceded just five runs and got Quinton de Kock’s run-out.
The game went into the second Super Over and Kieron Pollard hit 11 runs. Chris Gayle hit a six off Trent Boult and Mayank Agarwal finally sealed the game with two fours. Punjab Kings had won an absolute humdinger. This match is still remembered as one of the greatest matches in Twenty20 cricket.
Before the heist against Mumbai Indians, there was a match that could very well have been a repeat of the 2021 encounter against Rajasthan Royals. In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings were on course chasing 165. With two overs remaining, Punjab Kings needed 20 runs off 12 balls with KL Rahul unbeaten on 71. The Kolkata Knight Riders had not had a good time in the death overs in the last couple of games.
But, Prasidh Krishna was in fine form. He dismissed Rahul for 74 and conceded just six runs in the 19th over. Suddenly, the game had changed. Punjab Kings needed 14 runs in the last over. Glenn Maxwell, normally a consistent six-hitter, had struggled for Punjab Kings in the tournament. Sunil Narine was tasked with bowling the final over.
He was hit for a four by Glenn Maxwell but when he got rid of Mandeep Singh, Punjab Kings needed seven runs off one ball. Maxwell needed a six. On the last ball, he lofted a wide ball to deep extra cover. However, the ball landed just in front of the fence and it was signaled a four. Kolkata Knight Riders had gotten out of jail while Punjab Kings continued to lose matches from a winning position.
It was a match that they dominated for most of the time. Yet, when it came to the crunch, they squandered the opportunity in a bad way. AB de Villiers blasted a magnificent 64 off 35 balls as Royal Challengers Bangalore notched up 175/6. With 24 runs needed off 12 balls, it seemed to have been an easy equation with six wickets in hand. But, Shane Watson conceded only seven runs in the 19th over. That meant that Kings XI Punjab needed 17 runs off the final over.
Chris Jordan conceded a four and six in the first three balls as Kings XI Punjab needed six runs off three balls. But, a dot ball followed and two runs came in the fifth ball. With four runs needed, Stoinis thumped a pull shot to deep midwicket and they set off. But, only a couple resulted. However, Kings XI Punjab had missed one small technical opportunity.
Chris Jordan had whipped off the bails after the batsman crossed and ran off to celebrate. Technically, the ball was not declared dead. Had they had the sense, Kings XI Punjab could have stolen a run and the game had gone into the Super Over.
These number of instances show that when it comes to finishing games off, Punjab Kings are still a long way away. The pressure just seems to get to them. Until they sort this out, they can never aim to become the champions of the IPL.
