Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza hit the winning runs as Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings in a last-ball thriller in Chennai to collect their fifth win in nine games.
The ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed its latest high-octane thriller on Sunday, with Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulling off a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai.
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Opener Prabhsimran Singh (42) and middle-order batter Liam Livingstone (40) led the way for PBKS, with valuable contributions from Sam Curran (29), skipper Shikhar Dhawan (28) and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma (21) keeping Punjab in their chase after they were set a daunting 201 to win at the Chepauk in the afternoon clash of the Sunday double-header.
In the end, it came down to Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten 13 off seven deliveries, including three off the final ball that got Punjab over the line in thrilling fashion. Facing nine to win off the final over bowled by Matheesha Pathirana, Raza collected back-to-back doubles in the fourth and fifth deliveries before dashing back for a third after guiding the ball towards the square leg fence.
The high-octane contest in Chennai, the latest in a series of nail-biters this season, naturally became a buzzword on social media, with Cricket Twitter hailing Raza for his ability to stay calm under pressure and see the game off.
Here are select reactions to the game:
Sikandar ‘Baahubali’ Raza 👑#CSKvPBKS pic.twitter.com/3C2AoeRDau
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 30, 2023
Boy, that was tense 😬 Great character from the boys to bounce back with a win! Beating CSK in Chennai never easy, that too while chasing 200! Complete team effort from start to finish @PunjabKingsIPL 💪🏽 #CSKvPBKS #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/2c1rCxRqgV
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) April 30, 2023
Cricket is all about holding the nerve and today Punjab did it well! Fantastic game of cricket #CSKvPBKS
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) April 30, 2023
Safe to say @SRazaB24 is the first Zimbabwean to score the winning runs in an IPL game? #CSKvPBKS #IPL2023
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) April 30, 2023
This IPL belongs to the success of players who are not much known faces. Be it players from Afghanistan, Ireland, Namibia or Zimbabwe.
Sikandar Raza wins it for Punjab Kings.
And to do it at Chepauk, that’s a historical win. pic.twitter.com/IgUB039a5F
— Rahul Sharma (@CricFnatic) April 30, 2023
19.5 – CSK CSK chants in stadium.
20 – turns into silence 😭
Sikandar Raza the Man the myth the legend. #CSKvPBKS #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/3PDzUnM8sD— Mayur (@133_AT_Hobart) April 30, 2023
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