Right then, it was yet another of those thrilling finishes for Kings! But they are up to No. 5 now on the points table, and very much in the race for a playoffs spot. Anyway, don't forget to join us for the double-header tomorrow. Until then, it is goodnight and goodbye from our side! Take care.

KL Rahul, the Orange Cap holder, is the Player of the Match: "We are used to this, but I'll take the two points. We played brilliantly and smartly. We realised it was a decent wicket. There wasn't much spin. The bowlers felt we can make the batsmen sideways... Really happy that we could get over the line. Obviously, I would want to finish games... [Leaving out Brar?] These are things that kill me as a captain - leaving out young Indian boys. Chris has left the bubble, so we had to make a few changes to see what would be our best XI. But we go to Sharjah for next game, and we'll see... Shahrukh worked really well with the batting coaches, asking a lot of questions, and developed a game where he can play at 170-180 without taking many risks. We know he can hit the ball a long way. He has done that for Tamil Nadu. Not to worry about results. Often times, we have put pressure on ourselves... Everybody knows we are a far better team. Putting pressure on ourselves is not helping. These four games in the UAE have a perfect example. It is a good learning for a young team like us."

Time for the presentations

samriddhi: "Bishnoi is also a vey strong contender for MoM "

GP: "This is the right team for Punjab, Jordan/Allan depends on the pitch. Gayle is a gamble most of the time no luck."

By the way, Kings' win today confirms Capitals' spot in the playoffs too.

srik: "MoM should go to Shami and Arshdeep .. !!" --- To both of them?

Shahrukh after that winning six: "It would have been easier for me to take on the bowlers... I thought I had it [the last ball] well. I was brave enough to take shot. As soon as I go into any situation such as this, that method is really working. We needed three wins on the trot, and have started off well..."

Eoin Morgan, losing captain: "Initially we didn't field as well, put catches down. Myself early too. We probably had a par score on the wicket. Kings played well, we fought back, but catches have cost us. I thought in real-time that the Tripathi catch was out. But when you slow it down, the third umpire decided otherwise. We got on with it once he made his call. Hopefully we play hard in the back end, get a few results and qualify into the playoffs."

10pm How about that? The points table gets even closer as the Kings not only stay alive but also give a few more sides hope. Shahrukh Khan's nine-ball 22 to take the Kings over the line begs just one question: why didn't he play earlier?

You'd also have to think if the Knight Riders allowed the match to (pardon the pun) slip out of their hands? Morgan's drop of Agarwal early on, The Iyer fumble on the boundary line for six. The Tripathi catch that the umpire said was not out, and the Tripathi attempt off the last ball.

But the win will leave the critics away from KL Rahul. His 55-ball 67 was the anchor around who Agarwal, Markram and Shahrukh could play. Kudos also to Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh - they helped restrict the Knight Riders to 165, and conceded only 44 runs in the last five overs.

19.3
6
Iyer to Shahrukh Khan, SIX, caught? Nope, dropped...and six! Length ball outside off. Shahrukh looks to smack a six over deep midwicket. But it's not going all the way! Tripathi runs around to take a catch, but the ball pops out of his hand and goes over the line! Zinta celebrates, KL Rahul breaths a sigh of relief and Punjab Kings win by five wickets

Fabian Allen, at the non-striker's end.

19.2
W
Iyer to Rahul, OUT, holes out to long off! Good length outside off. Rahul backs away to make room. Clubs it over the bowler, but only to Mavi at long off! Preity Zinta facepalms. Is this another familiar Kings choke? Rahul walks back for a 55-ball 67

KL Rahul c Shivam Mavi b Iyer 67 (114m 55b 4x4 2x6) SR: 121.81

19.1
1
Iyer to Shahrukh Khan, 1 run, slower ball. Full outside off. Looks for a glory slog to the leg side. Toe-ends it past the diving keeper's right for a single

Five to win. But Kings have lost games from here.

Suresh: "What ws the soft signal for the review ?" -- Soft signal has been abolished in IPL. The whole decision is left to the TV umpire. Here's Iyer. Shahrukh on strike.

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs | PBKS: 161/4 (5 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.47, RRR: 5.00)

  • KL Rahul67 (54b)
  • M Shahrukh Khan15 (7b)
  • Shivam Mavi4-0-31-1
  • Tim Southee4-0-40-0

SuGP: "As a neutral, 18.3 is out. "

18.6
4
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, FOUR, slower ball. Waist high full toss. Slapped over point, and that means Punjab Kings need five in six balls

Sudipta : "18.3: Did it hit the highest number of words spent to describe a single delivery?" -- Stokes' ricochet for four in the final over of the 2019 ODI World Cup was more for sure!

18.5
1
Shivam Mavi to Shahrukh Khan, 1 run, yorker attempted. Dug back, past Mavi's right. Long on runs around to keep it down to one

Very tricky call from the TV umpire there: KKR will surely feel that was out. Rahul will take the TV umpire's decision. Its so hard making a 100% accurate decision in such decisions.

18.4
1
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, 1 run, full toss just outside off. Punched down the ground to long on for a single

They are checking who should be on strike. Since the ball went dead with the catch, Rahul will retain strike.

Sarah : "I dunno, that looked very out to me. "

18.3
0
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, no run, that's a terrific catch! Full outside off. Rahul goes for the expansive leg-side swipe. Hit in the air, but the ball is dipping. Tripathi runs in from deep midwicket, dives full length forward, and takes the catch while his elbows graze against the floor. Tripathi says its out, but the umpires want to go upstairs. TV umpire asks the producers to rock and roll, to see if Tripathi took a clean catch. Did he get his fingers under the ball while taking the catch? Sure looks so, but the final call is with the umpire. TV umpire says "please take it nice and slow, frame by frame" as he decides on a verdict. Anil Dandekar asks for a few more angles. And then declares "ball has touched the ground"....NOT OUT! So close...but Rahul survives. The TV umpire concludes that the ball had hit the floor while Tripathi was in his catch motion.

Joynul : "Bring back Shakib next match for Morgan, he can bat(can't do worse than morgan), also guarantee tidy 4 overs. DK can take the mantle for time being."

18.2
0
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, no run, slower ball. Overpitched but dipping in sharply. Looks to drag a slog sweep but misses. Through to DK

perfect start to the over for the Kings.

18.1
4
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, FOUR, goes through! Low full toss outside off. Rahul looks to drive through the covers but it takes an edge and races past short third man's left

Kings need 15 off 12 - and the mood in the ground clearly suggests advantage Punjab. The ground DJ is playing Punjabi music for the last few overs. Ishq Tera Tadpave between the overs. Mavi to bowl.

END OF OVER:
18 | 9 Runs | PBKS: 151/4 (15 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.38, RRR: 7.50)

  • KL Rahul58 (49b)
  • M Shahrukh Khan14 (6b)
  • Tim Southee4-0-40-0
  • Shivam Mavi3-0-21-1
17.6
1
Southee to Rahul, 1 run, keeper misfields, and they pinch an extra run. Slower ball outside off. Soft edge as he misses the cut, but Karthik lets it go through as well. Short fine leg runs around to keep it down to just one

Neeraj: "Bhai, your description is being kind to DK. Didn't dive or time his run at all... That's a dropped catch" -- Think he pulled out of the dive since another fielder was near his face!

17.5
1
Southee to Shahrukh Khan, 1 run, good length outside off. TRaps it to point, and Rahul tells Shahrukh to come across for the run

Riad: "Despite having extra batsman and being at good situation , KKR failed to post 180 and they are feeling the heat of not taking 5th bowler ." -- Spot on. They made just 44 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in the last five.

17.4
4
Southee to Shahrukh Khan, FOUR, drilled for four. Short and wide, and Shahrukh smacks it square. Races along the carpet, and deep extra cover's dive is futile too!
17.3
1
Southee to Rahul, 1 run, slower ball, short on off. Drags a flat-batted shot to long on. On the bounce to Iyer
17.2
1
Southee to Shahrukh Khan, 1 run, length ball angling into him, and confidently flicked fine. But fine leg is on the boundary line
17.1
1
Southee to Rahul, 1 run, falls between keeper and short fine leg! Full on off, and Rahul walks across to play a paddle over short fine leg. Mistimed, in the air. Karthik and short fine leg congregate to take a catch, but its gone just beyond DK

Gopal: "Sharukh Khan was pulling some weight in the first half of IPL. He's been pulling some huge jailbreaks in TNPL. Hoping to see him pull Kings through today!"

END OF OVER:
17 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | PBKS: 142/4 (24 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.35, RRR: 8.00)

  • M Shahrukh Khan8 (3b)
  • KL Rahul55 (46b)
  • Shivam Mavi3-0-21-1
  • Sunil Narine4-0-34-1
16.6
0
Shivam Mavi to Shahrukh Khan, no run, good length, outside off. Punched to point. Kings need 24 off 18
16.5
6
Shivam Mavi to Shahrukh Khan, SIX, catch? six? catch? six! Short ball angling into him, and he's hooked that with ease! Iyer, the tall man on the boundary line, sticks one hand out, grabs it, tosses the ball up, but tumbles over the line trying to take the follow-up on the rebound

Kammo: "No worries - Shahrukh Khan is here - He's saying "Main Hoon Na""

16.4
2
Shivam Mavi to Shahrukh Khan, 2 runs, short and wide ball. Shahrukh reaches out and cuts it hard through point. Seifert runs around the boundary line but can't stop the second run

Shahrukh Khan. Back into the side after a longish break out of the team.

16.3
W
Shivam Mavi to Hooda, OUT, taken on the boundary line. Full ball on middle and leg. Hooda clears the front leg to drill a lofted shot over deep midwicket for six. But he mistimes the offcutter, and Tripathi slides along the ground in the deep to take the catch. Back leg very close to the boundary skirting, but replays show that the catch in clean

DJ Hooda c Tripathi b Shivam Mavi 3 (7m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 75.00

16.2
2
Shivam Mavi to Hooda, 2 runs, full on off stump. Flicked off his toes, and Iyer at deep backward square leg runs around the line to stop the four
16.1
1
Shivam Mavi to Rahul, 1 run, slower ball. Full outside off, and he caresses a drive to Seifert at deep point. Just one though

Mavi to bowl the 17th. ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster says Punjab Kings are 86% favourites.

Ajay Gour: "All those who are criticizing Rahul for slow scoring, this is why he's scoring slow, he's just not taking risk because his middle order is not reliable at all and he want to stay till the end and finish the chase. Not sure when was the last time Punjab's middle order won the match. Remember Punjab is the only team who lost all matches even after 100 runs of opening partnership. Lets stop criticizing the guy, shall we?"

PBKS 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st70MA AgarwalKL Rahul
2nd14KL RahulN Pooran
3rd45KL RahulAK Markram
4th5KL RahulDJ Hooda
5th28KL RahulM Shahrukh Khan
6th6FA AllenM Shahrukh Khan