KKR vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2023: PBKS 179/7 (20), KKR 182/5 (20), Kolkata Knight Riders beats Punjab by 5 wickets

Rinku Singh is the hero of the game as the batsman finishes with a boundary and the batsman kept his cool despite Arshdeep’s effort with the ball. What a brilliant match and Kolkata stays alive for a place in the play-offs with a five-wicket win.

Sam Curran takes the responsibility of bowling in the penultimate over but Andre Russell with a flick of the wrists dispatches the bowler for a maximum over the deep mid-wicket and then dills the medium pacer for a 83-metere six. Russell then hammers Curran for a huge six with a powerful flick for a maximum.

Arshdeep has kept Punjab in the game and so does Rinku and Russell for Kolkata with a couple of boundaries. KKR needs 26 runs in 12 balls.

Russell drives Ellis for a boundary through the mid-wicket and then Rinku Singh joins the party by smashing for a maximum over the square leg region. Ellis gets things into control by not allowing the batsmen to score boundaries.

Nitish Rana falls and the Kolkata skipper departs for a brilliant 38-ball 51 as Rahul Chahar picks his second wicket and this is a crucial one. Punjab strikes back as the Kolkata skipper walks back. Rahul Chahar finishes with 4-0-23-2

Nathan Ellis has bowled another brilliant over and just conceded a boundary. Despite the boundary, it’s just six runs from the over and Kolkata is staring at a target that is going just past their reach.

The fifty-run partnership between Iyer and Rana was up but Iyer failed to clear the googly over the fence as Rahul Chahar gets his man. Rana holds the key in a chase that is almost certain to go down the wire. Over to Russell for the finishing act.

Sam Curran concedes a boundary off the first ball as nine runs came from his second over. The 100 is up for KKR and Rana holds the key. KKR needs 73 runs in 42 balls.

Rana and Iyer have stitched a partnership but the required rate has touched 10.25 against the current rate of 8.17. This game is nicely posied with Curran and Chahar operating on a surface that is not that easy to just go after the bowlers.

Nitish Rana tees off and he has taken on the spinner by smacking Livingstone for two back-to-back boundaries and then hammering the spinner for a maximum over the cow corner. Kolkata right into the match with their skipper leading from the front.

Rahul Chahar into the attack and the spinner will relish the conditions on offer. The sweeps of Nitish Rana have gone straight to the fielder. Excellent from the spinner and this is superb captaincy from Dhawan, getting his spinners to bowl the right lengths and cramp the batsmen.

Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana have a job in their hands and this will be critical from Kolkata’s point of view. The margin between the required and the current rate isn’t that huge as Ellis bowls an excellent over. KKR needs 107 runs in 66 balls.

Harpreet Brar picks a brilliant wicket as the spinner dismisses Roy to give Punjab a crucial breakthrough. A sweep that didn’t work for Roy as Shahrukh Khan takes a good catch at deep mid-wicket.

Livingstone has proved to be costly as Roy hits the leg-spinner for back to back boundaries with a cut being the pick of the shot. Kolkata needs to up the ante but has to be careful in not losing wickets.

Punjab has the game in control as Ellis provided the breakthrough and broke the opening stand. Jason Roy has got a start and will hold the key in a tricky run chase. Nitish Rana has got an opportunity to entertain the home fans. KKR will take the PowerPlay after crossing the 50-run mark1

Nathan Ellis gets Gurbaz and that’s the breakthrough that Punjab Kings were looking for. The batsman tried to play across the stumps and got trapped as the umpire raised his finger immediately.

Arshdeep has been taken to the cleaners as Gurbaz hammers the fast bowler for a maximum over the deep backward square and then executes a brilliant shuffle shot down the ground for a boundary. Roy ends the over with a boundary as Kolkata is up and running in the run chase.

Jason Roy is in the house as he smacks Rishi Dhawan for a couple of boundaries to give Kolkata the momentum in an important run chase. It’s a good start from Punjab Kings, building the pressure as it won’t be easy to chase down the total on a slow wicket.

Arshdeep Singh into the attack and Punjab will rely on the pacer to provide a breakthrough. Just five from the over and it’s an excellent start from Punjab.

Roy and Gurbaz open their accounts but the latter almost holed it out in the deep. Both openers are struggling to time the ball as Rishi Dhawan starts well by giving just five runs from his opening over.

Suyash Sharma has been substituted by Jason Roy and KKR will be eyeing for a good start and capitalise the PowerPlay. Rishi Dhawan starts the proceedings for Punjab with the new ball.

Shahrukh Khan has given the Punjab bowlers a total to defend as he smacks Harshit for a six over the long-on region and then pockets two back-to-back boundaries and he has made an impact in the game. Brar goes big and hammers the pacer for a maximum to provide Punjab with further advantage. 21 runs from the over and Punjab would have taken this score at the start. This will be a tricky chase for Kolkata and we will be back for it in just about 10 minutes..

Harpreet Brar gets into the act and finds the third man boundary and Shahrukh Khan nails a pull through the square leg region to get the 150 up for Punjab. Brar pockets another boundary as he lofts Arora over the mid-off to gather 15 runs from the penultimate over.

Suyash Sharma picks his first wicket of the evening as Punjab has collapsed after the fall of Shikhar Dhawan. No fireworks from Sam Curran as the all-rounder falls with Gurbaz pouching another catch. Harpreet Brar and Shahrukh Khan have a job in their hands.

Rishi Dhawan gets into the act and pulls Chakaravarthy for a brilliant six over the deep mid-wicket and the ball travelled all the way into the stands for a maximum. However, the spinner had the last laugh with Chakaravarthy castling Dhawan and picking his third wicket. Putting his craft on display, Chakaravarthy finishes with 4-0-26-3 and it’s been wonderful bowling from the mystery spinner.

Spin and more spin. That has been Kolkata’s operation in this edition of the IPL as Narine rolls out another economical over giving just seven and finishing with figures of 4-0-29-0. The game is hanging in balance with Kolkata dictating terms. Over to the Punjab power-hitters.

Nitish Rana strikes and the Kolkata skipper removes Dhawan, who falls after scoring a wonderful half-century as Dhawan falls for 57 in 47 balls. This is a huge blow for Punjab as Rishi Dhawan joins Sam Curran in the middle and gets off the mark with a boundary.

Dhawan gets to his half-century in style by launching Narine over the deep square leg and this has been brilliant from the Punjab skipper. Having got to the landmark the Punjab skipper will look to bat through the innings and give Punjab a nice flourish at the death.

Chakaravarthy picks his second wicket and breaks the partnership as Jitesh Sharma falls for an 18-ball 21, courtesy of a brilliant take from Gurbaz behind the stumps. Sam Curran joins Dhawan.

Dhawan is on the move and he gets going by smashing Narine for a couple of boundaries - one through the covers and then a brilliant sweep over the square. The 100 is up for Punjab and so is the 50-run partnership between Dhawan and Sharma which has come in 39 balls. The skipper is in touching distance of a well-deserved half-century.

Dhawan pulls out a wonderful reverse shot as he nails a low full toss from Suyash to the backward point boundary. Excellent improvisation from the Punjab skipper. They will look to press on the accelerator and give Punjab the momentum while trying to set a total.

Sunil Narine into the attack and Kolkata reviewed for a caught behind but there was no connection between the bat and the ball as Jitesh attempted a sweep shot. Dhawan is not able to get the boundaries with the spinners making life difficult for the batsmen.

Suyash continues to be impressive and Rana has marshalled his troops well. The spinners of Kolkata have choked the batsmen but the leg-spinner releases the pressure by bowling a log hop that Jitesh dispatched to the deep mid-wicket boundary for a maximum.

Dhawan gets a much-needed boundary as the southpaw drills Chakaravarthy through the backward point region, just using the pace of the spinner. Punjab’s scoring rate has taken a beating with the spinners not allowing the batsmen to score boundaries.

Suyash Sharma into the attack and the leg-spinner bowls a beautiful googly to beat the outside edge of Dhawan and the youngster has started well. Kolkata stopping the flow of runs and chocking the Punjab batsmen.

Varun Chakravarthy into the attack and picks a wicket straightaway by rapping Livingstone. Punjab did review the LBW decision and there was no inside edge. The ball was pitching in line, the impact was also the same as Punjab lost a review with Livingstone walking back for a 9-ball 15. Punjab loses three wickets inside the PowerPlay.

Livingstone announces his arrival in a grand manner as he hammers Russell to the mid-off boundary and then a flick through the mid-wicket for back to back boundaries. The no-balls are costing Kolkata as the 50 is up for Punjab inside the PowerPlay with Dhawan ending the over with a boundary.

Harshit has come back stronger and has corrected his line and length, not giving any width to the batsmen and allowing them to free their arms. His efforts paid dividends as the pacer induced an outside edge with Rajapaksa trying to go for a big shot but got a healthy outside edge as the ball landed safely in the gloves of the keeper. Kolkata making a statement inside the Powerplay.

Shikhar Dhawan is looking in good touch as the Punjab skipper is up and running, dealing in boundaries. Bhanuka Rajapaksa is the new man in.

Harshit Rana provides the first breakthrough, thanks to a brilliant catch by Gurbaz behind the stumps as Prabhsimran falls after a promising start. The batsman gets a leading edge while trying to attack the bowler and that’s a wonderful take by the wicket-keeper.

Prabhsimran gets off the mark with a wonderful flick and gives Punjab a positive start. The batsman punishes the bowler for bowling into the pads as he pockets an easy boundary and the finishes the over with another boundary by guiding the back of length delivery through the backward point. Three boundaries in the first over.

Rith then the umpires are out in the middle and out walk the Punjab Kings openers. It will be Prabhsimran Singh along with Shikhar Dhawan and they will look to make the most in the PowerPlay. Vaibhav Arora with the new ball will start the proceedings.

“We gonna bat first. The wicket looks quite dry, we would like to put a good total and defend it. That’s a good thing that we are scoring 200 every game. One change, Bhanuka comes in place of Short. Seems like it will stop a bit and come.”

Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy

Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan(c), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Punjab Kings wins toss, opts to bat first

Wicketkeeper: Jitesh Sharma, Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Batters: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh,

All-rounders: Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur

Bowlers: Varun Chakaravarthy (vc), Arshdeep Singh

Team Composition: KKR 6:5 PBKS | Credits Left: 8

Atharva Taide, Matt Short, Nathan Ellis, Shivam Singh, Harpeet Bhatia

Shikhar Dhawan, Matthew Short/Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sam Curran, M Shahrukh Khan, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis/Kagiso Rabada

Shikhar Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short/Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sam Curran, M Shahrukh Khan, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Suyash Sharma, Jason Roy, Anukul Roy, David Wiese, Mandeep Singh

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Suyash Sharma/Anukul Roy

Jason Roy, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy

Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan(c), Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sikandar Raza, Atharva Taide, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Baltej Singh, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Gurnoor Brar

Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anukul Roy, Suyash Sharma, N Jagadeesan, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mandeep Singh, Tim Southee, David Wiese, Umesh Yadav, Aarya Desai