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After a disappointing IPL 2020 in which they finished sixth, Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a poor first half this season as well. They are at number six in the points table with three wins and five losses from eight matches.
PBKS began their IPL 2021 campaign with a nerve-wracking four-run victory in their first match over Rajasthan Royals (RR). Both sides scored over 200 and PBKS survived a scare as Sanju Samson cracked a superlative hundred.
PBKS, however, completely lost their way, going down in their next three matches - vs Chennai Super Kings (6 wickets), Delhi Capitals (6 wickets) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (9 wickets). Batting let the side down badly against CSK and SRH as they managed only 106/8 and 120 all out respectively.
In rather unexpected fashion, PBKS’ losing streak came to an end with a 9-wicket hammering of defending champions Mumbai Indians. They lost two of their next three games, though, their only win coming against the fancied Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
With IPL 2021 set to resume in the UAE next month, let’s take a look at a few PBKS players who shone as well as some who did not in the league’s India leg earlier this year.
Three PBKS players who impressed in the first half of IPL 2021:
#1 KL Rahul
PBKS captain KL Rahul, who won the Orange Cap last season, continued his great run with the bat this year as well. He looked in complete command out in the middle and amassed 331 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 136.21. Rahul crossed the half-century mark in four of the seven games.
The PBKS skipper began IPL 2021 with a cracking 91 off 50 balls against RR. He scored 61 in the loss to DC, an unbeaten 60 in the thumping of MI and an undefeated 91 off 57 balls in the upset win over RCB. In games that Rahul failed, PBKS had a tough time putting up a decent score.
Rahul had to leave IPL 2021 after the seventh match to undergo immediate surgery for removal of inflamed appendix. The 29-year-old is currently in the news for making a fine return to Test cricket after a gap of nearly two years.
#2 Arshdeep Singh
Young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has proved to be a quick learner and is now an important part of the PBKS set-up. It was Arshdeep who bowled the high-pressure last over against RR and dismissed centurion Sanju Samson. In a high-scoring encounter, Arshdeep finished with standout figures of 3/35.
Arshdeep kept chipping in with key wickets in a few more games. However, with the team not winning, PBKS had to alter their combination and the left-arm pacer missed out on a couple of matches. The 22-year-old claimed seven wickets in six matches in the first half of IPL 2021 at a strike rate of 15.71 and an economy rate of 8.18.
The PBKS pacer did a decent job in IPL 2020 as well, with nine scalps from eight games. He will be in the franchise’s plans for the UAE leg of IPL 2021.
#3 Mayank Agarwal
PBKS opener Mayank Agarwal was not as consistent as the franchise would have wanted him to be. But he played a couple of blazing knocks in the first half of IPL 2021 in India.
Agarwal cracked 69 off only 36 balls against DC, featuring in an opening partnership of 122 with PBKS skipper Rahul. Then, leading the team in the absence of Rahul, he smashed an unbeaten 99 off 58 balls against the same opponents. Unfortunately for PBKS, they lost on both occasions.
Agarwal got into the 20s and 30s in a few other matches but failed to carry on. He will be keen to improve this aspect of his game during the UAE leg.
Two PBKS players who failed to impress in the first half of IPL 2021
#1 Nicholas Pooran
West Indies’ big-hitting sensation, Nicholas Pooran had a pitiful time for PBKS during IPL 2021 to say the least. He managed only 28 runs in seven matches at an average of 4.66 and a strike rate of 84.84. Out of his 28 runs, 19 came in one innings.
Pooran fell first-ball to Chris Morris against RR and he could never discover any batting rhythm as the tournament progressed. He got another blob against CSK, this time he lasted two balls. After scoring 9 against DC, he was run out without facing a ball against SRH.
The left-hander’s best of 19 came at a run-a-ball against KKR. Another duck tale followed against RCB though. PBKS would back Pooran to come good in the UAE, where he clobbered 353 runs at a strike rate of nearly 170 last season.
#2 Riley Meredith
There was plenty of hype surrounding Aussie pacer Riley Meredith, who was picked by PBKS for a whopping INR 8 crore. Meredith is capable of bowling at 140 kph on a consistent basis. However, he proved to be a bit raw for the IPL stage.
Meredith claimed four wickets in five matches but had an economy rate touching 10 and an average of 42.25. He was taken for 49 runs in the high-scoring encounter against RR. He proved expensive in most of the other games as well, spraying the ball around.
As per the latest developments, Meredith and Jhye Richardson won’t be available for the UAE leg of IPL 2021. Australian pacer Nathan Ellis, who took a hat-trick on his T20I debut against Bangladesh, has been roped in as one of the replacements.
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