Punjab Kings’ loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore confirmed their exit from the IPL Playoffs race. After Bangalore set a target of 241 in the first innings, it was always going to be difficult for the Kings to chase the target. They started well but kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which proved to make the chase an even more challenging one for them.
RCB bowlers had a good day on the field as they were able to bowl PBKS out for 181 runs and secure a win by 60 runs. This has helped them increase their net run rate, thereby keeping their playoff hopes alive. Mohammed Siraj took 3 wickets, while Swapnil Singh, Lockie Ferguson and Karn Sharma bagged 2 wickets apiece.
The star of the evening was Virat Kohli as he notched 92 runs in just 47 balls. He smacked the Punjab Kings bowlers all over the ground with his masterful shots. Rain disrupted the game for a bit, but that did not stop the Challengers from wreaking havoc in Dharamshala. Rajat Patidar also played a massive role in helping RCB put 241 runs on the board as he scored a quickfire 55 runs in just 23 balls. Having won their last four games, RCB are in contention for a playoff spot, but a lot of things have to go their way if that has to happen.
Punjab Kings continue to languish at the bottom of the IPL table
Punjab Kings’ defeat to RCB crushed their hopes of a revival this season. They are now out of the playoff race and will be playing the remaining games just for mere formality. The team last qualified for the Playoffs in 2014, which happened to be the same year that they made the Final. Since then, Mumbai Indians have gone on to win four more IPL trophies, which indicates how poor they have been in the competition.
Having played under multiple captains over the past few years, the Punjab Kings have failed to maintain a solid core. Since KL Rahul left the captaincy to join Lucknow SuperGiants, PBKS have had Mayank Agarwal, Sam Curran and Shikhar Dhawan lead the squad. They have made some big money signings in the Auctions, but that has not come to fruition for them.
They have players like Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Chris Woakes, who are all accomplished T-20 players. However, they have not been able to find the form to lead PBKS from the front. This season, the team’s highest run scorer has been Shashank Singh, who has scored 352 runs for them. The fact that he bats in the middle order for the team speaks volumes about the team’s struggles.
With the mega auction set to happen for the next season, Punjab Kings need to revisit their strategy and build a better team. They have some talented names in the squad but need to build some balance in the lineup, which has been missing for them over the past few years.
