11pm That will be all from us for tonight. The Punjab Kings move level on points with the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru to become the early pace-setters. Speaking of RCB, they will have a chance tomorrow to go 3-0 when they take on the Gujarat Titans at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Do join us for that game as well, and until then, this is goodbye from Chandan, Thilak and myself (Shashwat). Take care, folks!
Prabhsimran Singh, Player of the Match: (Message from Ricky Ponting and team management) They are legends, whenever they speak, it is always positive. There is no such thing as if (in his thinking). They ask us to go with just one mindset and that is of winning. They have asked us to back our game. Just have to try that if I get set, to finish off the game. (On the innovative shots he played) Have practiced a lot, and good that I could connect a few tonight. If a youngster gets off to a good start…this is a platform from where you can achieve your goal of playing for India.
Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings captain: This is the start we required. Boys actually played their roles well, they contributed to the best of their ability, and whatever we planned, they executed it to the fullest. To be honest, there is no right combination. The camaraderie and synergy has to click at the right time. All teams have the potential to win the game, you just need to have a similar mindset of wanting to win - that is what we always talk about. I always try to be in the present and this innings is history for me, just want to focus on the next one now.
Madhav: "And to think that PBKS still had the likes of Maxwell, Stoinis, Shashank, Suryansh and Jansen left to come after this"
Rishabh Pant, Lucknow Super Giants captain: It was not enough, we were 20-25 runs short. That is part and parcel of the game - our first home game, so still assessing the conditions. (On the early wickets they lost) Definitely. It is always going to be tough (to get to a bigger total) when you lose early wickets. You cannot control each and every thing, but each player is trying to take the game forward. The idea was to get a slow wicket because we felt it is a home game, it is going to stop a bit. When you were bowling slow, it was sticking. We were not good enough on the day. We will learn from it and move forward. Definitely lots of positives, early in the tournament, still figuring out lot of things for the team and hopefully it will come out nicely for us.
Nehal Wadhera: We needed this win as well. Shreyas bhai and everyone did really well, especially the bowling group, and the way Prabhsimran batted was really brilliant. We are happy we could get a victory today. I did not feel much nerves, but I did not even know I was playing today. I just brought one kit. I later got to know I was playing. When I went in to bat, I knew I needed to play my shots. (On playing a dot to ensure Shreyas got to fifty after the scores were level) That was not the plan (laughs), but the way Shreyas bhai batted was really, really remarkable and all credit goes to the way he is captaining us and boosting our confidence. The way he was telling me things - to play my natural game and play with the flow was great. When I came here, I just thought that the experience from my previous years, I had to showcase my experience. That is what the plan was, and what I have been preparing in the last few months. (On Ponting) Definitely one of the best coaches I have learnt under - never heard any negative talk from him. When a coach gives him such positive remarks, it boosts your confidence.
10:37pm Well, the Punjab Kings did it at a canter. At the break, it seemed LSG were a few runs short. The way PBKS batted, it felt LSG were miles short. Prabhsimran teed it up, smashing 69 off 34, and then Shreyas and Wadhera tore into the LSG bowlers, breaking their resistance and spirit on the night. Most of their hitting was just awesome and that word will fly around the IPL rather fast, especially now that PBKS have four points in two games.
LSG were just not at the races. With the bat, they huffed and puffed, and with the ball, they lacked the penetration PBKS did. Once they failed to pick up early wickets, they were playing catch-up, although the manner in which they were taken apart by PBKS will leave LSG with lots to think about.
