Following their morale-boosting three-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, the Eoin Morgan-led side will be looking to inch a step closer towards securing the play-offs berth against KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings.
Eoin Morgan-led KKR are in fourth place with 10 points and come into this game on the back of a victory over the Delhi Capitals. While their opponents, who occupy the sixth spot with 8 points, head into the contest on the back of a disappointing defeat against Mumbai Indians.
Punjab Kings once again find themselves languishing at the bottom half of the points table and their play-offs dreams are all but over in this edition. However, a win tonight will give the side some consolation and the momentum from the business end of this edition will motivate them to do well in the next season.
When the two teams faced each other in the reverse fixture in IPL 2021, Kolkata defeated Punjab by 5 wickets.
Head-to-head:
In terms of head-to-head, the Kolkata franchise has always dominated the Mohali-based side with 19 wins out of 28 meetings between the two sides in IPL. KKR have defeated PBKS 4 times in the last 5 meetings, twice when chasing and twice when batting first.
Punjab have got the better of KKR only twice in the UAE, once in the 2014 season in Abu Dhabi and the second time in the 2020 season at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Tonight, however, it will take a special effort from PBKS to edge KKR to get to the winning ways.
Here mykhel brings to you the live updates from match 45 between KKR and PBKS at Dubai:
11:31 pm
SIXX! Rahul Tripathi fails to catch the ball near the ropes and Shahrukh gets a maximum. With that shot, Punjab win the match by 5 wickets and keep their play-offs hopes alive.
11:29 pm
Wicket!! Can there be more twist? KL Rahul has been caught at long-off while hitting the bowler for a maximum.
11:28 pm
Venkatesh Iyer bowls the final over!!
11:27 pm
Four! A boundary for KL Rahul on the final ball of Mavi’s over and Punjab reach 161/4. They need 5 off 6 balls.
11:21 pm
Not Out!! Rahul (Tripathi) takes a fine catch diving forward in the deep, but his hands weren’t underneath the ball as it grassed the ground. KL Rahul survives.
11:16 pm
Four!! Shivam Mavi bowls the penultimate over and Rahul gets a thick edge and gets a boundary towards the third man region.
11:15 pm
9 runs came from that over bowled by Tim Southee. PBKS need 15 off 12 balls. KKR gave away some easy runs in that over.
11:13 pm
Four! Shahrukh cracks a brilliant boundary towards cover off Southee. PBKS reach 150 in the 18th over.
11:09 pm
SIXX!!! Venkatesh Iyer made a sensational effort in the deep to convert Shahrukh Khan’s six into a catch but he stepped onto the rope.
11:04 pm
Wicket! Deepak Hooda (3) hits Shivam Mavi towards and gets caught at deep mid-wicket by Rahul Tripathi. PBKS – 134/4 in 16.3 overs.
11:01 pm
10 runs and the wicket of dangerous-looking Aiden Markram for Sunil Narine in his final over of the spell. PBKS reach 131/3 in 16 overs, they need 35 off 24 balls.
10:58 pm
Wicket! Markram (18) tries to hit Narine over long-off for a maximum but couldn’t connect it well and Gill pouches it comfortably at deep extra cover.
PBKS – 129/3 in 15.3 overs. Can there be a twist in the tale?
10:55 pm
SIX!! Aiden Markram dispatches Narine over mid-wicket for a maximum. An excellent shot played with the spin as it travelled 95 meters.
10:54 pm
12 runs came from that Southee over as Punjab reach 121/2 in 15 overs. They need 45 off 30 deliveries.
10:52 pm
SIX!! Short-pitched delivery from Southee and KL Rahul hits a flat six over mid-on. With that shot, Rahul also notches up a fine half-century.
10:47 pm
Tidy over from Sunil Narine as he concedes just six singles off it. Punjab Kings reach 109/2 in 14 overs. The equation for Punjab is 57 off 36 deliveries.
10:41 pm
After 13 overs, Punjab Kings reach 103/2, they still require 63 off 42 deliveries. Morgan brings Narine into the attack.
10:40 pm
SIXXX! KL Rahul pulls Venkatesh Iyer’s delivery and gets a maximum over mid-wicket. This is a pressure-relieving shot for Punjab as they’ve also crossed the 100-run mark.
10:32 pm
After 11 overs, Punjab Kings have reached 85 for the loss of two wickets. 9 runs and the wicket of Pooran from that over bowled by Chakravarthy.
10:30 pm
Wicket! Varun Chakravarthy makes a strong comeback as he gets Pooran caught in the deep by Shivam Mavi at deep cover. PBKS – 84/2 in 10.4 overs.
10:28 pm
SIX!! Full-toss from Chakravarthy and Nicholas Pooran hits him over long-on.
10:25 pm
Just 5 runs came from that Sunil Narine over. He would have also got a wicket, had Tripathi took that catch.
Punjab Kings reach 76/1 after 10 overs, they need 90 more runs from the next 60 deliveries.
10:21 pm
Dropped! Pooran would have been dismissed for 2 had Rahul Tripathi taken that sharp catch at cover off Narine. A reprieve for the out-of-form batsman.
10:20 pm
Punjab Kings have reached 70 for 1 after 9 overs. Nicholas Pooran – playing his 200th T20 game – has joined captain Rahul in the middle.
10:18 pm
Wicket! Mayank Agarwal (40) hits straight into the hands of Eoin Morgan at covers and Varun Chakravarthy provides his team with the breakthrough they were looking for. PBKS – 70/1 after 8.5 overs.
10:16 pm
Four! Rahul hits a brilliant grounded shot towards the cover region off Chakravarthy.
10:14 pm
SIX!! Mayank Agarwal ends Venkatesh Iyer’s over with a maximum over covers. A lovely way to end the over as PBKS reach 63/0 after 8.
10:10 pm
After 7 overs, Punjab Kings are 51/0. At this stage, KKR were 55/1. Morgan brings Venkatesh Iyer in the attack with the hopes to break this fifty-run opening stand.
10:04 pm
End of the powerplay and Punjab Kings post 46/0 after 6 overs. 13 runs leaked by Narine from his first over. Confident start in the run chase for Punjab.
10:00 pm
SIXX! Mayank Agarwal hits Sunil Narine straight down the ground and gets a maximum over long-off. Superb shot!!
09:59 pm
Spin to win for KKR? Sunil Narine has been brought in the attack from the other end in the powerplay.
KL Rahul vs Sunil Narine in T20s:
8 innings
122 runs
62 balls
2 dismissals
197 strike rate#IPL2021 #KKRvPBKS— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 1, 2021
09:58 pm
Tidy over to start with as Varun Chakravarthy concedes 3 runs from his first over of the match.
Punjab – 33/0 after 5 overs, need 133 to win from 90 balls.
09:54 pm
Four! Loosener from Mavi on the final delivery of that fine over and Mayank hits him over point to get a boundary. PBKS reach 30/0 after 4 overs.
09:49 pm
After 3 overs, Punjab Kings have reached 25 for no loss. Both Mayank and Rahul looked in sublime touch but they need to convert the start into a big partnership.
09:47 pm
SIX!! Mayank Agarwal goes over mid-off and gets a maximum over long-off against Southee. First maximum of the innings for Mayank.
09:46 pm
Four! Brilliant straight drive from KL Rahul off the half-volley from Southee and the ball races towards the fence.
09:42 pm
Four!! Mayank Agarwal hits that in-swinger from Mavi way high in the air and the ball reaches the fence after a couple of bounces towards long-off.
09:40 pm
Shivam Mavi bowls the second over for Kolkata Knight Riders.
09:39 pm
2nd Innings!! KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal begin run chase for PBKS and they get 7 from the first over bowled by Tim Southee.
09:20 pm
Wicket! Dinesh Karthik (11) tried to sweep shot, but missed the yorker from Arshdeep and gets bowled.
KKR finish with 165/7 in 20 overs. Brilliant work from the pacers in the last two overs as they prevented Knights to finish with a flourish. Punjab need 166 to win.
09:16 pm
Arshdeep bowls the final over for Punjab. They need to finish it tightly.
09:14 pm
Brilliant over from Shami as concedes just 7 and finishes with 4-0-23-1.
KKR – 158/6 in 19 overs.
09:11 pm
Wicket! Tim Seifert (2) tries to sneak a single off Shami but the bowler collected the ball quickly and the direct-hit at the non-striker’s end ensures the batsman was way out of the crease. He has to walk back towards the dugout. KKR – 156/6
09:04 pm
Wicket! Change of pace from Arshdeep Singh as Nitish Rana tried to hit the bowler over mid-wicket couldn’t connect it well and Hooda takes a fine catch in the deep. Rana’s came comes to an end for 31. Good comeback from the bowler after getting hit for a six and boundary. KKR – 149/5 in 17.4 overs.
09:01 pm
SIXXX! Nitish Rana is cutting loose!! He welcomes Arshdeep with a biggie over the cover region!!
08:59 pm
Nathan Ellis finishes his fourth over with 12 runs and ends with 45/0 from his quota of 4 overs. KKR reach 137/4 in 17 overs.
08:58 pm
SIX!! Nitish Rana plays a brilliant shot over mid-off and gets a maximum over Ellis’ head.
08:52 pm
Wicket! Mohammed Shami bowls a perfect yorker and the ball hits Eoin Morgan’s pads as the batsman tried to shuffle towards the off-stumps. The bowler appealed the umpire raised his finger. KKR captain has to depart for 2.
KKR – 124/4 in 15.5 overs.
08:45 pm
After 15 overs, KKR reach 121/3. Just 6 runs and the big wicket of Venkatesh Iyer came from that Ravi Bishnoi over. The leg-spinner finishes with figures of 4-0-22-2.
08:43 pm
Wicket! Venkatesh Iyer (67) slog sweeps Bishnoi but that flat shot didn’t get the elevation and Deepak Hooda pouched it comfortably at deep mid-wicket. Second wicket for Bishnoi.
KKR – 120/3 in 14.4 overs.
08:41 pm
Four! Nitish Rana welcomes Bishnoi with a boundary, with a reverse sweep.
08:40 pm
Nathan Ellis concedes 11 runs from that over and KKR reach 115/2 in 14 overs. Iyer is batting on 67*. Rahul introduces Bishoi for his final over. Punjab need wickets
08:36 pm
Four, Four! Back-to-back boundaries from Venkatesh Iyer off Ellis. Both the boundaries were of top quality from the southpaw.
08:32 pm
100-up for KKR in the 13th over. They have 8 wickets in hand and should look to finish it with a flourish. Rana and Iyer are the key.
KKR – 104/2 in 13 overs.
08:31 pm
SIX!! Venky is looking to switch gears now as he dispatches Fabian Allen over mid-wicket with a superb slog sweep.
08:28 pm
Fifty! Venkatesh Iyer brings up his second half-century in the IPL in his fifth game. Everyone in the KKR dugout has appreciated the youngster’s knock.
08:28 pm
Nitish Rana has been promoted up in the batting order. KKR reach 93/2 after 12 overs. Venkatesh Iyer will have to accelerate for his team now.
08:25 pm
Wicket! Ravi Bishnoi strikes in his third over as he breaks the threatening partnership. Rahul Tripathi (34) took the aerial route but failed to get the elevation and Deepak Hooda took a fine a catch in the deep. KKR – 90/1 in 11.2 overs.
08:23 pm
12 runs came from that Nathan Ellis and KKR reach 88/1 after 11 overs. The batters are looking to step on the gas.
05:35 pm
Mayank Agarwal is preparing in the nets! He’s going to be key for PBKS tonight.
.@mayankcricket in the nets is something we can watch all day long! ????#SaddaPunjab #IPL2021 #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/24kZJ53HUE
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) October 1, 2021
05:33 pm
Universe Boss has left the Punjab Kings bio bubble.
???? UPDATE ????
Chris Gayle will not be a part of the PBKS squad for the remainder of #IPL2021! #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/vHfyEeMOOJ
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) September 30, 2021
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