IPL: Prabhsimran powers Punjab to beat Lucknow

WICKETKEEPER-BATSMAN Prabhsimran Singh scored an explosive 69 off 34 balls as Punjab Kings cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday (1) for their second win this IPL.

Punjab chased down the target of 172 set by Lucknow with nearly four overs to spare, and captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls.

"This is the start we required," Iyer said.

"Boys actually played their roles well, they contributed to the best of their ability, and whatever we planned, they executed it to the fullest."

Playing their first home game of the season, Lucknow Super Giants started poorly, losing in-form opener Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck in the first over of the match to Arshdeep Singh.

Marsh's opening partner Aiden Markram hit Arshdeep for three boundaries in his next over but fell for 28 off 18 soon after to New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who was playing his first match for the Kings.

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Captain Rishabh Pant's stint at the crease was short-lived getting out for just two runs from five balls, leaving Lucknow reeling at 35-3 just prior to the end of the powerplay.

Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni steadied the innings with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but Pooran eventually fell to spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the 12th over after an entertaining 44 off 30 balls.

The attacking David Miller, who came in next, did not last long either, falling to fellow South African Marco Jansen for 19 off 18 deliveries.

Badoni (41) and Abdul Samad (27), both of whom were dismissed by Arshdeep in the last over of the innings, provided some late momentum to Lucknow, propelling them to a total of 171-7.

Skipper Pant conceded it was "not enough".

"We were 20-25 runs short," he said.

"That is part and parcel of the game - our first home game, so still assessing the conditions."

Punjab's 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).

In response, Punjab lost opener Priyansh Arya cheaply for eight runs off nine balls to spinner Digvesh Rathi in the third over.

But Lucknow's bowling attack only again tasted success in the 11th over when Prabhsimran fell, courtesy of a spectacular catch at the fence by Ravi Bishnoi.

By then, Iyer and Prabhsimran's quickfire partnership of 84 - powered largely by the latter - had taken the match away from Lucknow.

Left-handed batter Nehal Wadhera (43) then teamed up with Iyer to take Punjab over the line without any further setbacks.

Rathi (2-30) was the only Lucknow bowler to be among the wickets. (Agencies)