Follow UsPunjab Kings (PBKS) were in a strong position when they restricted Rajasthan Royals on April 5 (Saturday) to 138/3 in the 15th over of the first innings. But that’s where they let the game slip away from them, as the lower-order, led by Dhruv Jurel (5-ball 13), took them beyond the 200-run mark.
In the end, it was a daunting task for the Kings at home, where they now have lost 13 out of their last 15 games. Shreyas Iyer’s wicket in the first over broke PBKS’ run-chase, as they could only get themselves to 155/9, 50-run shy of the target. In the post-match presentation, Iyer revealed that they should have restricted them to 180-185.
“To be honest, I was considering around 180-185. That would be good to chase over here. We weren’t able to execute our plans. I’m glad this blip happened early in the tournament. It was a decent pitch; the ball was holding a bit, and we were not giving them much pace,” Iyer said in the post-match presentation.
Under pressure, PBKS had a dependable batter in Nehal Wadhera, who smashed a 41-ball 62, hitting four fours and three sixes. Iyer credited the left-hander but insisted that PBKS needed the slight hiccup and reckoned that this loss would be a good wake-up call.
“We lost back-to-back wickets as well, which wasn’t ideal as it isn’t easy for new batters. Nehal was phenomenal under pressure. He took some time and then was able to charge the bowlers to make the most of the situation. Need a slight hiccup to wake you up at the start of the tournament. I personally feel this loss will be good, and we will need to go back to the drawing board.”