Match Center

Right then, that is it from this exciting game where Bangalore get their first away win of the season. However, the action in the Indian T20 League does not stop here as we have a double-header and the second game which is between Delhi and Kolkata will get underway soon. You can just switch tabs to get all the updates about that game. Cheers!

Mohammed Siraj is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning spell. Says that he was getting the swing and did not bother about getting hit for a boundary and went for the reward when hit the fuller length. Adds that he tried to get the wickets in the Powerplay to set the tone for the team. Mentions that he was going through a rough time, but in the lockdown worked hard on himself and came back stronger than before in this format. On his fielding, Siraj smiles and tells that he always tries to improve every area so that he could contribute to the team in all departments.

Virat Kohli, the stand-in skipper for Bangalore, says that position on the table does not define them. Adds that they need to maintain the process and carry on. Reckons that they addressed the conditions well and credits Faf du Plessis for his knock. Says that the batting got difficult after the 8th over and the ball wasn’t coming off well from the pitch. Mentions that they wanted to take it deeper and look to score big at the end but the set batters got out at the wrong time and they were happy with the 175 target. Shares that the message to the team was to pick wickets and get ahead in the game. Adds that the batting line-ups are deeper with the Impact Player rule and they had to set the intensity and take the game to the opposition. Closes by saying that the direct hits from Siraj and Hasaranga got them ahead and they took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Presentation Time...

Wanindu Hasaranga is up for a quick chat. He says that he tried to bowl wicket to wicket which is his strength. Adds that the wicket was offering turn and he used the googly more which rewarded him. Mentions that the run out was unbelievable as Sam Curran was not thinking about it, but he scored a direct hit. Ends by saying that Bangalore is a good franchise and he is enjoying his time.

Sam Curran, the captain of Punjab, credits Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli but adds that Punjab pulled things back with the ball. Mentions that their batters let them down in this game. Shares that they lost wickets regularly and the run-outs did not help. Reckons that the wicket was good and they had a fair contest with bat and ball. Adds that they regret a few decisions and will look to improve in the next game. Closes by saying that they need to learn from this game and play well against Mumbai in the next one.

Earlier, in the game, Bangalore posted a fighting total on the board thanks to crucial knocks from Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, but they would have hoped for a few more from the other batters. Harpreet Brar picked up a couple of wickets for Punjab while Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis got one each. While chasing, Punjab got off to a nightmarish start, and even though Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma showed some fight, it was just not enough in the end.

Bangalore, on the other hand, got off to a flying start as Mohammed Siraj once again provided those early breakthroughs which included a big one of Liam Livingstone and he also forced a run out with an amazing direct hit. They were able to keep the batters relatively quiet except for the occasional big hits in the middle overs. Their fielding was on point as well, but some expensive overs took this game too close for their liking. Virat Kohli also dropped Jitesh Sharma in a crunch situation, but it was Siraj again who stepped up for them and got rid of the tail while Harshal Patel finished the job for them. Wanindu Hasaranga also picked up a couple of wickets and it was a team effort for Bangalore to get back to winning ways.

Punjab could not really get going from the start as they lost four wickets inside the Powerplay which put them on the back foot in the chase. Prabhsimran Singh was the only one who looked good and held one end while scoring runs too but could not get any sort of support from the other end. He too fell after a well-made 46 trying to up the ante. However, it was Jitesh Sharma who gave them hope hitting some lusty blows, but once again no other batter supported him and in the end, he was dismissed as the last wicket on 41 off just 27 balls, and they fell short by 24 runs in the end.

A convincing victory for Bangalore in the end! We have seen a fine bowling effort from them with Mohammed Siraj leading the charge with his best bowling figures in this league. He finished with four wickets and conceded just 21 runs which proved to be the difference in this game. Punjab fought hard, but it wasn't meant to be for them.

OUT! CAUGHT! All over for Punjab. Harshal Patel gets the final wicket and Bangalore win this game by 24 runs. Slower ball. Full and outside off. Jitesh Sharma swings hard across the line and gets a top edge that lobs up toward the point fielder Shahbaz Ahmed who holds onto the catch. Jitesh Sharma played a valiant knock but could not get his team over the line. Bangalore bagged 2 points away from home and the stand-in-skipper Virat Kohli will be pleased with this effort.

A low full toss, on midddle, Jitesh Sharma drills it down the pitch where it hits the stumps and goes nowhere.

On a length but way outside off, Jitesh Sharma fails to reach it. Wided.

Arshdeep Singh walks out at number 11.

OUT! GONE! TIMBER! There is no stopping Mohammed Siraj tonight. What a spell from the speedster. Full and slanting into the middle and leg. Nathan Ellis hangs back as the ball crashes into the stumps and Punjab loses their 9th one.

Shortish and around off, pulled with no timing to long on for one.

Full and at the stumps. Nathan Ellis defends it forward to a short cover and looks to take a single. Wanindu Hasaranga gets a direct hit at the stumps and the ball ricochets off the stumps toward short fine leg as the batters cross for a single.