IPL 2021: Twitter Erupts As Punjab Kings Sink Royal Challengers Bangalore For Their Third Victory Of The Tournament

KL Rahul and Harpreet Brar sizzled as Punjab Kings trounced a strong Royal Challengers Bangalore by a considerable margin of 34 runs in Ahmedabad, successfully defending 179 to record their third win of IPL 2021. Punjab Kings produced a clinical batting performance, recovering from a routine collapse by their standards and kept the pressure on the opposition batting line-up throughout the innings. Virat Kohli’s men recorded their second loss of the ongoing competition, but maintained the third spot in the points table.

Also Read: Watch: Riley Meredith Sends Devdutt Padikkal’s Off-Stump For A Cartwheel

Prabhsimran Singh, who replaced Mayank Agarwal at the top, perished in the fourth over for a single-figure score. But Chris Gayle counterattacked and took Kyle Jamieson, who dismissed Singh, for five fours in an over. Gayle and KL Rahul stitched an 80-run partnership off 45 deliveries. Left-arm seamer Daniel Sams returned to dismiss Gayle, who made 46 off 24 balls.

After the left-hander’s departure, wickets began falling in clumps, as Bangalore reduced them to 118-5. But KL Rahul hung in there and took his team to a formidable score. Off-spinner Harpreet Brar, having replaced Arshdeep Singh, produced an invaluable cameo before working his magic with the ball, striking 25 off 17 balls, laced with a four and two sixes. He added an unbeaten 61 from 34 balls with Rahul. On the other hand, the Punjab Kings captain finished with an unbeaten 91 off 57 deliveries and took the Orange cap.

Punjab Kings pacer Riley Meredith, who replaced Moises Henriques, made an immediate impact by showing Devdutt Padikkal the way out, sending his off-stump cartwheeling. Captain Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar found it hard to go after Punjab’s bowling unit which constantly kept the pressure by fielding well. While Virat was still able to get the periodical boundaries, Patidar’s lack of big shots kept dumping the Royal Challengers into a hole. Harpreet Brar hurt the opposition big time in his last two overs, dismissing Kohli for 35, Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck, and AB de Villiers for 3.

Rajat Patidar finally cut loose in the 14th over, bowled by Deepak Hooda as he slammed a six and a four. But Chris Jordan and Nicholas Pooran ended his forgettable knock of 30-ball 31, with the scorecard reading 96-5. By this time, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were staring at a massive defeat and there were only formalities the opposition needed to complete. Brar was undoubtedly the pick of the bowlers, registering figures of 4-0-19-3, while Ravi Bishnoi also chipped in with a couple of scalps. Harshal Patel and Kyle Jamieson managed some boundaries and maximums at the backend to reduce the losing margin.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the 26th match of IPL 2021 between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore:

On a lighter note, POM has to be Rahul, especially if Punjab mess up from here.. ? ?

— W V Raman (@wvraman) April 30, 2021

This is the great thing about the #IPL. Stars glittering everywhere and two young men, Harpreet Brar and Ravi Bishnoi steal the game!

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 30, 2021

https://twitter.com/im_yash2307/status/1388179163543064576?s=20

https://twitter.com/AnshumaNot/status/1388174901035474947?s=20

IPL is an unforgiving tournament and it is easy to find a villain every game. Patidar has not played well tonight. Go light on the young lad. Kohli himself was 34 off 34. Maxi got out 1st ball & ABD of all ppl made 3 off 9.

— Anup (@YNWA_AR) April 30, 2021

Kohli ❌
Maxwell ❌
Double-wicket maiden ✅

Harpreet Brar had not taken an IPL wicket before this over ?#PBKSvRCB | #IPL2021

? https://t.co/djhU4UHbP7 pic.twitter.com/Njq29Rhegf

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 30, 2021

De Villiers falls too, RCB kaput. What a day for Harpreet with wickets of Kohli, Maxwell and ABD!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 30, 2021

What a hat trick that would have been for #Brar if he had got it? Can it get any better if the victims happen to be @imVkohli @Gmaxi_32 and @ABdeVilliers17 and that too in #IPL? #IPL2021 #RCBvsPBKS

— W V Raman (@wvraman) April 30, 2021

@thisisbrar on ?? welldone keep going buddy! @IPL @PunjabKingsIPL

— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3) April 30, 2021

Nothing says you’ve arrived in the IPL like taking the wicket of a world class batsman like Virat Kohli.

Well done Rajat Patidar ?? #PBKSvRCB

— Shridhar V (@iimcomic) April 30, 2021

https://twitter.com/Virat_Mamta/status/1388157244227735553?s=20

https://twitter.com/AvengerReturns/status/1388157032373514240?s=20

https://twitter.com/SpiderPant/status/1388170297468014598?s=20

Malan deserves a better team. ?

— Shreyaa (@pink_pistachioz) April 30, 2021

The number.1 T20 batsman David Malan be like : pic.twitter.com/S4T4E14UMm

— Kaafi Jenius? (@JeniusKaafi) April 30, 2021

#RCB are playing and @henrygayle is batting. But not quite as it used to be. Mixed feelings, RCB fans?

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 30, 2021

Pre-eminent knock from skipper @klrahul11 against his ex-team. Very well played. #PBKSvRCB #IPL2021

— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) April 30, 2021