Bairstow bests Narine as Punjab Kings pull off record T20 chase
Chasing 262, PBKS reached their target with eight balls to spare on a night of unstoppable hitting
Chasing 262, PBKS reached their target with eight balls to spare on a night of unstoppable hitting
Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: Alan Gardner
11.40pm That's all we have for tonight folks, with 523 runs scored in a matter of a few hours. Alan and I have scheduled our finger massages, and the eyes also need some rest after watching those record 42 sixes. We have a double-header coming up tomorrow, stay safe until then! Ciao.
The presentation is here...
Curran: Very pleasing. Most importantly the win, cricket has turned to baseball isn't it? We're delighted with the two points. We had a tough few weeks as a team. Forget about the scores, we deserved this victory. (What's with the massive scores?) Loads of different things, guys can hit balls for long periods of time, the coaches, training, the dew, dot balls become wide after reviews and you get the extra ball. Stats are going of the window. For us, it's all about the small moments. With the ball also we hung in there. Really pleased for Jonny, he's been on tour for a long time and was eager to score. Shashank, wow, he was promoted to No. 4 and he's been our find of the season. We've to enjoy the small wins, although this was a big win coming to Kolkata.
Bairstow is the Player of the Match: We got off to a good start and that was key. They got a flier themselves thanks to Sunil so we knew we had to go ballistic in the powerplay. (Does format matter?) Not really, you've got to take risks to go on. When you've to chase 200-plus you've to take risks in the powerplay. (How to approach such a chase?) Try and whack it as hard as possible (laughs). It was a case of if it's in your area you go after it. We wanted to lose as few wickets as possible. Shashank has done it all season, a lovely guy and special player. To have someone like him coming in and do that is unbelievable. His knowledge, he's not young either, he's nice and calm, full credit to him the way he came out and hit it cleanly.
11.20pm: The night Eden Gardens became a batting paradise! Punjab Kings somehow rose from the canvas after conceding 261 with the ball to pull off a record T20 chase with barely a flutter of doubt. Jonny Bairstow finishes on 108 not out, Shashank Singh 67 not out as this incredible IPL for batting continues
Shreyas Iyer: "The way the batters batted was tremendous. So much you ask of them and they delivered. Both teams played tremendously. You have to go back to the drawing board and see where you went wrong. Not defending hurts but it's a great lesson for the players. [Narine] Brilliant to see him go out and strike the ball. Lot to learn from him, he's the MVP of our team."
Shashank Singh: "In the dugout, was watching the wicket. Felt the ball was coming on with good bounce, thought I'd try to play out Sunil and take on the rest of the bowlers. I have licence to bat, just go out and play my shots. Losses have been by small margins. This match, the way Jonny batted was a huge positive. Great learning for me, still five more matches to go."
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The required rate now practically a run a ball!
It was just that kind of a day where all odds were defied, as Bairstow helped PBKS pull off the highest-ever chase in T20 history
Almost unthinkably, the spectacle of batters hitting the ball into the stands has become routine and predictable
Chasing 262, PBKS reached their target with eight balls to spare on a night of unstoppable hitting
Reactions from social media after Punjab Kings chased down 262 against KKR with eight balls to spare
All the major records broken during the incredible run-fest between KKR and Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens