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Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their inconsistent run with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with most of their top-order batters underperforming before the lower-order came up with a rescue act.
During their match against Gujarat Titans (GT), PBKS was bundled out for 142 runs in their 20 overs. Their top five batters failed, with Sam Curran (20) and Prabhsimran Singh (35) being the top performers. Riley Rossouw (9), Liam Livingstone (6) and Jitesh Sharma (13) failed to carry on momentum after a half-century partnership from Curran and Prabhsimran. It was Harpreet Brar (29) and Harpreet Singh (12) who helped PBKS touch a respectable score. Sai Kishore (4/33) was the top bowler for GT. This season, Punjab's top-five batters have been underwhelming. In eight innings, they have scored a combined 744 runs at a poor average of 19.07 and a strike rate of 123.79. They have scored just two half-centuries. 11 players have been used as top-five batters so far. At the top, it is their skipper Shikhar Dhawan who has scored 152 runs in five matches at an average of 30.40, with a strike rate of 125.61, with a fifty. His best score is 70. Jonny Bairstow (96 in six matches), Liam Livingstone (111 runs in six matches), Jitesh Sharma (128 runs in eight matches), Prabhsimran Singh (154 runs in eight matches) have been underwhelming despite their power. Also, Sam Curran (152 runs in eight matches) has been underwhelming as an opener, performing better as a lower-order batter. Riley Rossouw (10 runs in two games) and Atharva Taide (15 runs in one match) have also not made use of opportunities given to them. Punjab's top-five has the lowest aggregate, average and strike rate among all teams in IPL 2024. On the other hand, the number six to 11 batters of PBKS have performed way better. In eight innings, 11 players who have been used to form the lower order have scored 566 runs at an average of 29.78 and a strike rate of 160.33, with two half-centuries. The uncapped Indian duo of Shashank Singh (195 runs in eight matches at an average of 48.75, with a strike rate of 168.10 and a fifty) and Ashutosh Sharma (159 runs in five matches at an average of 39.75 and a strike rate of over 189 with a fifty) have been stars for PBKS. The only other team with their number six-11 having an aggregate of 350-plus runs is RCB, whose lower order has scored 494 runs at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 167.45. (ANI)
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