RR vs PBKS IPL 2023: Who won today’s IPL Match? Check Man of the Match Award Winner

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) are on a roll in the ongoing 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) after having registered an amazing 5-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The incredible encounter went down the wire towards the last ball where the most expensive player of IPL 2023, Sam Curran, held his nerves remarkably well to eventually help the Punjab Kings win the game. This is the second consecutive win for the Punjab Kings in the ongoing T20 competition.

RR vs PBKS IPL 2023: Who won today’s IPL Match? Check Man of the Match Award Winner

For the Punjab Kings, skipper Shikhar Dhawan led his team from the front in the first innings as he went on to notch up his 48th half-century in the Indian Premier League and played the anchor’s role really well at the top to help his side finish with a massive total on the scoreboard. However, it was a match-defining spell from right-arm pacer Nathan Ellis that proved to be the difference between the two teams. Ellis picked up as many as four crucial wickets and gave away just 30 runs in his quota of four overs. Ellis was also named the Man of the Match award winner for his stunning four-wicket haul in a high-scoring encounter.

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RR vs PBKS: Nathan Ellis Four wicket haul topples Rajasthan Royals

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Punjab Kings got off to a wonderful start at the top with a young opening batsman Prabhsimran Singh going full throttles right away. Prabhsimran smashed a blistering knock of 60 runs off just 34 balls that included 7 fours and 3 sixes while stitching a brilliant opening stand of 90 runs alongside PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan. The Punjab Kings kept on losing wickets at regular intervals during the middle-overs besides another useful cameo of 27 runs from Jitesh Sharma. Shikhar remained unbeaten till the end after having played a fine innings of 86 runs off 56 deliveries that consisted of 9 fours and 3 sixes to help the Punjab Kings finish with a challenging score of 197 for 4 in their 20 overs.

During the chase, the Rajasthan Royals did not have the best of starts as they ended up losing the trio of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin inside the first six overs of the powerplay. RR captain Sanju Samson played another excellent knock of 42 runs off only 25 balls but after his dismissal, things looked quite bleak for the Rajasthan Royals. However, the pair of Shimron Hetmyer and young Dhruv Jurel who came in as an Impact Player, batted incredibly well towards the end stitching a phenomenal partnership of 62 runs off just 27 deliveries. But, Sam Curran successfully defended 16 runs in the final over of the match to help Punjab Kings secure a superb 5-run win.

Hetmyer smashed a blazing knock of 36 runs off 18 balls while Jurel also played a fantastic cameo of 32 runs off only 15 deliveries, but eventually they failed to help the Rajasthan Royals cross the finishing line. For the Punjab Kings, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh also claimed two important wickets.

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