Punjab Kings bowlers shine as LSG manage only 171 for 7

MUMBAI: Punjab Kings enjoyed the fruits of a fantastic bowling effort in the Powerplay as Lucknow Super Giants posted a par-score of 171 for 7 on a tricky Ekana Stadium surface in an IPL match here on Monday. On a track that seemed two-paced with variable bounce, Punjab Kings bowlers led by the ever-dependable Arshdeep Singh knocked off the top order within first six overs and contributions from in-form Nicholas Pooran (44 off 30) and Ayush Badoni (41 off 33 balls) wasn't enough to put a challenging score on board.

Punjab's bowling performance on Monday was the perfect definition of doing it in unison as spinners Glenn Maxwell (1/22 in 3 overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/36 in 4 overs) complemented the pacers Lockie Ferguson (1/26 in 3 overs), Arshdeep (3/43 in 4 overs) and Marco Jansen (1/28 in 4 overs).

Credit should also be given to skipper Shreyas Iyer, whose intelligent field placements also ensured that LSG were never in control of the situation.

On a track, where certain deliveries were gripping and odd ball bounced a tad extra, only Pooran looked comfortable against both pacers and spinners.

But to Iyer's credit, he started with a deep extra cover in the Powerplay just to prevent the southpaw from teeing off with a cover drive.

For LSG skipper Rishabh Pant (2), the highest all-time buy from an IPL auction, it was his third consecutive failure and the embarrassing manner of his dismissal won't amuse him one bit. It was a rank long-hop from Maxwell, which he tried to slog behind square but could only find Chahal at short fine leg.

This was after Arshdeep got rid off Mitchell Marsh (0) in the very first over with a delivery that bounced trifle extra with the opener closing his bat face.

Aiden Markram (28 off 18 balls) started off well but Ferguson breached his defence with a quick nip-backer.

Pooran looked in ominous touch as he smashed Chahal for a couple of sixes but the wily out-of-favour leg-spinner had the last laugh. After being hammered for 15 in his first over, he bowled one slightly wide out of Pooran's hitting arc and he holed out in the deep. The Windies man hit five fours and two sixes.

Badoni hit three sixes and a four but could never force the momentum in LSG's favour and it was Abdul Samad's (27 off 12 balls) cameo that got them past 170-run mark.