India off-spinner R Ashwin was in disbelief, much like most of the cricket world, as PBKS chased down 263 runs in just 18.3 overs against KKR at Eden Gardens in an IPL 2024 game on Friday, April 2. A total of 42 sixes were hit, 523 runs were scored, and all four opening batters in the match scored in excess of 50 as bowlers suffered, leaking aplenty. Jonny Bairstow’s 48-ball 108 not out was the highlight of a record-breaking encounter in Kolkata as batters made merry of one of the flattest pitches and small boundaries at the iconic venue.
262 is the highest-successful chase in T20 cricket history as PBKS broke South Africa’s record of 259 against West Indies, set in 2023. PBKS also hit 24 sixes in their innings, breaking the record set by SunRisers — 22 — when they smashed the highest-ever IPL total of 287 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium earlier in the month.
KKR vs PBKS Highlights | Scorecard
“Save the bowlers” someone plsss,” Ashwin wrote in his post on X, with a series of SOS emojis.
“It’s run a ball for the last 2 overs of a T 20 game in a chase of 260 +. Let that sink in,” he added, expressing disbelief at the record run chase.
Ashwin’s Rajasthan teammate Yuzvendra Chahal responded with a meme, backing his spin twin’s take on the big-hitting show.
Shashank Singh continued his dream run in IPL 2024 as he hit 68 off just 28 balls while Prabhsimran Singh set the tone with a 20-ball 54 in his 93-run stand with Bairstow. The partnership came in just 6 overs. Earlier in the day, Sunil Narine, Phil Salt, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer hammered the PBKS bowlers, posting 262 on the board.
Former England batter Kevin Pietersen and Aakash Chopra were among the many who were left in awe by the hitting ability of the batters in the high-scoring contest in Kolkata on Friday.
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Chopra said it’s time for the bowlers to adapt and evolve, noting the trend of 200-plus totals in IPL 2024.
“Batters have unlocked their true potentialâæover to the bowlers to do what they do better than battersâæthat’s adapting and evolving,” he added.
PBKS used a total of 6 bowlers and KKR used 8 bowlers on Friday and only two of them — Sunil Narine (1 for 24) and Rahul Chahar (1 for 33) — conceded less than 10 runs per over. PBKS captain Sam Curran leaked 60 runs in 4 overs while their most-experienced pacer, Kagiso Rabada, gave away 52 runs in 3 overs.
For KKR, it was worse. Andre Russell gave away 36 runs in 2 overs while young Harshit Rana was smashed for 61 runs in 4 overs. Varun Chakrvarthy gave away 46 runs in 3 overs.
Source Agencies
