Punjab Kings delivered a dominant performance in both bowling and batting, crushing Lucknow Super Giants by 8 wickets with 22 balls to spare in Match 13 of the IPL 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Punjab Kings:
Punjab Kings showcased a commanding performance in both bowling and batting, dismantling Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets with 22 balls to spare in Match 13 of the IPL 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. It was a clinical display by the visitors, who outplayed LSG in every aspect to secure their second straight victory in the tournament.
The match kicked off with Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and opting to bowl first—a decision that proved spot-on as his bowlers delivered with precision and intensity.
Arshdeep Singh set the tone early, dealing a massive blow in the very first over by dismissing the dangerous Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck. Lockie Ferguson, making his debut for PBKS, made an immediate impact as well, removing the in-form Aiden Markram, who had looked promising with a quick 28 off 18 balls.
As LSG’s top order collapsed, the team relied on their seasoned duo, Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, to steady the innings. However, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer made a brilliant tactical move by bringing Glenn Maxwell into the attack—a decision that paid off instantly. Having already dismissed Pant twice in the tournament, Maxwell made it a hat-trick, tempting the LSG captain into a reckless shot that led to his early exit.
Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni attempted to stabilize LSG’s innings with a crucial 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Pooran looked in fine form, hammering 44 off 30 balls, peppered with five boundaries and two sixes. Just as he was gearing up for an onslaught, Yuzvendra Chahal struck a decisive blow, enticing Pooran into a lofted shot that found Glenn Maxwell safely positioned at long-off.
With Badoni anchoring the innings, he found an aggressive ally in Abdul Samad. The duo injected much-needed momentum into LSG’s total, smashing 20 runs in a single over off Arshdeep Singh. Samad wasted no time making an impact, launching his very first delivery into the stands. His explosive 27 off just 12 balls, featuring three towering sixes and a boundary, provided LSG with a late flourish.
However, Punjab regained control in the death overs, thanks to Marco Jansen’s disciplined penultimate over, where he conceded just eight runs. Arshdeep then put the finishing touches on an excellent bowling display by dismissing both Badoni (41) and Samad in the final over, restricting LSG to 171/7. Punjab’s bowling attack delivered a well-rounded performance, with Arshdeep leading the charge with 3-43. Ferguson, Maxwell, Chahal, and Jansen chipped in with a wicket apiece, ensuring LSG never built a game-changing partnership.
Lucknow Super Giants Struggle After Being Put to Bat
Punjab Kings won the toss and opted to bowl first, putting the hosts, Lucknow Super Giants, under immediate pressure. LSG’s troubles began right from the opening over when Arshdeep Singh struck early, removing Mitchell Marsh for a duck. Aiden Markram looked promising, timing the ball well, but his stay was cut short at 28 runs as Lockie Ferguson got the breakthrough.
By the end of the powerplay, LSG found themselves in a precarious position at 39/3, having also lost their skipper, Rishabh Pant. Despite their struggles, Nicholas Pooran (44) and Ayush Badoni (41) provided some much-needed stability with crucial contributions. Towards the end, Abdul Samad injected some late fireworks, hammering a rapid 27 off just 12 balls to push LSG’s total to 171/7.
Punjab’s bowlers kept a tight grip on the innings, with Arshdeep Singh leading the charge, picking up three key wickets to ensure LSG never gained full control of their innings.
Punjab Kings’ Dominant Chase
Chasing 172, Punjab Kings set the tone from the outset. Though Priyansh Arya departed early to Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prabhsimran Singh made sure there was no setback in momentum. The aggressive opener unleashed an onslaught on LSG’s bowlers, smashing a breathtaking 69 off just 34 balls. His blistering knock, decorated with eight boundaries and four towering sixes, propelled Punjab to 84/2 in no time, laying the perfect foundation for the middle order.
Captain Shreyas Iyer took over from there, controlling the chase with a composed yet attacking approach. He found a dependable partner in Nehal Wadhera, who entered as an impact player and made an immediate statement. Wadhera’s fiery 43 off 25 balls, studded with three fours and four sixes, dismantled LSG’s bowling attack. The duo’s calculated assault left the opposition bowlers reeling, with Shardul Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi bearing the brunt of their aggression.
As Punjab cruised towards victory, Iyer fittingly finished the job in style, launching a six to seal the win and bring up his second consecutive half-century. His unbeaten 52 off 30 balls was a true captain’s knock, ensuring Punjab coasted to a commanding eight-wicket victory in just 16.2 overs.
For LSG, Digvesh Singh Rathi was the lone bright spot with the ball, claiming both wickets with figures of 2-30 in his four overs. However, the rest of the attack had no answers to Punjab’s relentless batting display, as the visitors comfortably chased down the target.
Match Summary:
Lucknow Super Giants: 171/7 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Ayush Badoni 41; Arshdeep Singh 3-43, Marco Jansen 1-28)
Punjab Kings: 177/2 in 16.2 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 69, Shreyas Iyer 52*; Digvesh Singh Rathi 2-30)
Result: Punjab Kings won by eight wickets.
