Table-toppers, GT, were handed only their second defeat of the season, with PBKS displaying a clinical performance to brush aside their opponents by eight wickets. The star of the match was Kagiso Rabada, whose four wickets restricted GT to a below-par total. Shikhar Dhawan then laid the foundation for PBKS before Liam Livingstone’s monstrous hitting ended the match with fireworks. We look at some key moments from game 48 of the 2022 IPL.
Bairstow opening the innings
Jonny Bairstow has had a horrible IPL season this year, with the Englishman scoring just 79 runs off 70 balls across six innings with an average of 13.2. Bairstow has preferred to play and has mostly played as an opener in IPL; however, PBKS used him in the middle order just like England since last year. This was done keeping in mind his spin-playing abilities. But after consistently failing to deliver in the middle order, Bairstow finally moved back to the top order against GT.
As an opener, Bairstow averages 42.8 with a strike rate of 143.4 in 25 innings in IPL. Bairstow might have failed yet again to score runs, but opening the innings with him is the best way forward for PBKS as it will also push Mayank Agarwal to the middle order, where he can counter the spinners in the middle phase of the innings as he is probably the team’s best player of spin bowling.
Bairstow might not have succeeded against GT, but PBKS need to give him a few more chances at the top order to get the best out of him.
Sandeep Sharma – PBKS’ Powerplay asset
Sandeep Sharma has been one of the better swing bowlers over the years in IPL. After missing the initial few matches, Sharma has been spectacular for PBKS this season. Before this game, although he picked up just two wickets, Sharma has been excellent, giving away runs at just 7.92 runs per over.
Sharma’s value lies in his bowling in the first six overs. Before the game against GT, Sharma conceded just 21 runs in the Powerplay with an economy rate of 3.50. A whopping 69.4% of his deliveries in Powerplay have been dot balls. Even against GT, he was exceptional in Powerplay, conceding just 13 runs off his three overs. PBKS will need Sharma to deliver consistently, like he has, to move their way up the points table.
Liam Livingstone’s six-hitting spree
With a minimum of 40 balls faced, Liam Livingstone has the second-best strike rate of 186.62 in this year’s IPL, behind only Dinesh Karthik (194.64). He has also hit the second-most sixes this year (23).
When Livingstone came out to bat against GT, PBKS needed 47 runs off 48 balls. The equation was fairly easy for them, but they had their eyes set on improving their net run rate, which usually ends up proving the deciding factor for qualification.
Livingstone was on two off four balls when Mohammed Shami came on to bowl the 16th over. With 27 runs off the over that had three sixes, including a monstrous 117m six, Livingstone once again proved his mettle with the bat and showcased why he is considered one of the most lethal batters going around.