Arshdeep Singh Dominates Phil Salt, Punjab Kings Edge RCB in IPL Thriller

Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh shone in their IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, dismissing Phil Salt for the fourth time in T20s. Despite early dominance by RCB’s spinners, a resilient partnership by Jansen and Singh lifted PBKS to 157/6, securing an edge over RCB in the chase.

Punjab Kings' left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh showcased his prowess once more in the Indian Premier League clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday in Mullanpur, continuing his remarkable record against English batsman Phil Salt. With Salt opening for RCB, Arshdeep struck early, dismissing him for just one run, his dominance unmistakable as it's the fourth occasion Arshdeep has sent Salt back to the pavilion in T20s, all within 32 deliveries.

This pattern highlights Salt's struggle against the pace of Arshdeep, having accumulated only 25 runs at a strike rate of 78.12 across these encounters. Arshdeep's early dismissal was crucial as RCB chased Punjab's target of 158, giving Punjab Kings a promising start to the game.

On the other side, RCB's disciplined spinners played a vital role in limiting Punjab Kings to 157/6. Winning the toss, RCB's skipper Rajat Patidar decided to field, a strategic move that paid off well. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma's precise bowling spells created pressure after Punjab's openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh made an explosive start. Despite a promising beginning, RCB's spin duo managed to restrain PBKS, with Pandya and Sharma claiming crucial wickets and stalling their momentum in the middle overs.

Furthermore, PBKS's middle order faltered with frequent dismissals, but a resilient 41-run partnership between Marco Jansen and Shashank Singh for the seventh wicket steered Punjab to a competitive total. Shashank Singh remained not out on 31 from 33 balls, and Jansen added a valuable 25 off 20 balls, ensuring Punjab remained in contention. As RCB's chase began, the early setback inflicted by Arshdeep guaranteed Punjab's upper hand as the match progressed. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)