Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar unleash mayhem in Qualifier 1; RCB flatten PBKS' top-order, Preity Zinta can’t believe her eyes

Punjab Kings lost four wickets in the Powerplay, as Rajat Patidar's decision to bowl first might have just proved to be masterstroke in the Qualifier 1

Punjab Kings’ in-form top-order crashed spectacularly in the Qualifier 1 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru, riding on Rajat Patidar’s call to bowl first, stormed through the opening exchanges in Mullanpur. Josh Hazlewood, who made a return to the playing XI for the high-stakes clash, produced a hostile spell, picking two wickets in the Powerplay. It was the Australian who struck the most telling blow, removing Punjab’s in-form captain Shreyas Iyer for just 2.

PBKS lost 4 wickets in the Powerplay during their Qualifier 1 match against RCB (Reuters/X)

With that wicket, Iyer’s worrying trend against Hazlewood worsened, now dismissed four times in six T20 innings by the pacer. A short-of-length ball climbed on Iyer as he attempted a cross-batted hoick, only to edge behind. For all the gloss on Iyer’s season, this was an unflattering playoff moment.

Hazlewood had just entered the attack in the fourth over, but his impact was instant. He also continued to test Nehal Wadhera with steep bounce, backing the control shown earlier by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

It was Bhuvneshwar who began Punjab’s unravelling. After conceding a couple of boundaries to a typically aggressive Prabhsimran Singh, the seasoned campaigner dragged his length back smartly and outwitted the opener with a slower delivery that climbed just enough. A desperate swat, a thin edge, and Jitesh Sharma completed the catch behind the stumps; his second of the powerplay.

Earlier, Yash Dayal had opened the wickets column for Bengaluru with a smart setup. Having gone for 10 runs off his first five deliveries, he angled one away from Priyansh Arya and had him driving to cover, where Krunal Pandya accepted a simple chance. That breakthrough set the tone for what would follow.

PBKS' co-owner, Preity Zinta, who was in the stands for the game, couldn't believe her eyes as she saw the collapse unfolding in the Powerplay.

Hazlewood's dismissed fellow countryman Josh Inglis for just 4 off seven deliveries. Bowling short, he extracted extra bounce off the surface and Inglis lost control of his pull shot, top edging the delivery for a simple catch for Bhuvenshwar Kumar at deep fine leg.

By the end of the powerplay, Punjab had stumbled to 48/4, a grim position for a side that had bossed this phase all season. The wicket of Shreyas, in particular, sucked the oxygen out of their innings. From a unit boasting two 500-run scorers this season, the start was a dramatic nosedive.