IPL 2023: Dhawan, Prabhsimran, Ellis star in Punjab Kings

GUWAHATI: Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh smashed classy half-centuries before Nathan Ellis’ exploits with the ball guided Punjab Kings to a nervy five-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match, here on Wednesday.

Young Prabhsimran (60) and veteran skipper Dhawan (86 not out) pummelled the Rajasthan Royals attack to propel Punjab Kings to a challenging 197 for 4 after being asked to bat.

The Royals were then blown away by Ellis (4/30) before Shimron Hetmyer (35) and young ‘Impact Player’ Dhruv Jurel (32 not out off 15) stitched a 62-run partnership to get Rajasthan back in the game.

But IPL’s costliest overseas recruit Sam Curran, justified his top billing, by brilliantly defending 15 in the last over to restrict the Royals to 192 for 7.

Pacer Arshdeep Singh provided the early breakthrough as accounted fro both openers.

The Royals sent Ravichandran Ashwin to open in place of Jos Buttler, who had walked off the filed grimacing after taking Shahrukh Khan’s catch earlier on.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was first to go as he sent the ball straight the fielder. The Ashwin experiment also failed as the senior spinner perished for a duck.

Coming at No.3 Buttler, hit an 11-ball-19. He was dropped in the third over but couldn’t much as he became Ellis’ first victim of the night.

Skipper Sanju Samson (42 off 25) looked in good nick as he timed the ball well. He smacked Harpreet Brar for back to back boundaries before greeting Ellis with twin fours.

Rajasthan were 89 for 3 at the halfway mark. But the Punjab bowlers managed to dry out the boundaries and with the required run rate increasing Samson succumbed under the pressure and mistimed a a cross seamer by Ellis.

Ellis then sent back local favourite Riyan Parag (20 off 12) who played a quick cameo and Devdutt Padikal (21) packing before Hetmyer and Jurel hit a flurry of sixes and fours to bring the equation down to 15 off the last over.

Earlier, Prabhsimran, who hit seven fours and three sixes, mercilessly punished the Rajasthan bowlers during the first 10 overs to bring up his IPL maiden fifty off 28 balls as Punjab was off to a rollicking start.

He and Dhawan added 90 runs for the opening stand off just 61 balls.

On the other hand, Dhawan, switched gears effortlessly as he was 30 off 30 balls at one stage playing second fiddle to Prabhsimran.