Sikandar Raza and Shahrukh Khan's masterful knocks helped Punjab Kings end their run of defeats with a victory over a strong Lucknow Super Giants away from home while Virat Kohli's half century helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore condemn the Delhi Capitals to a fifth consecutive defeat on an eventful day in the 2023 Indian Premier League.
Debutant medium-pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak took 3/20 to help RCB beat last-place DC by 23 runs. Vyshak shared five wickets with Mohammed Siraj, who took 2-23 in his four overs, as Delhi was restricted to 151-9 in response to Bangalore's 174-6. Kohli scored his 47th IPL half-century by making 50 off 34 balls, including six fours and a six, and put on 42 off 26 balls with fellow opener Faf du Plessis (22). Kohli also put on 47 runs off 33 balls for the second wicket with Mahipal Lomror (26).
In the second game on Saturday, lower-order batter Shahrukh Khan held his nerve to score 23 not out off 10 balls as PBKS beat LSG by two wickets with three balls left to move up to fourth. Lucknow finished with 159/8 in 20 overs. In reply, pacer Yudhvir Singh took 2/19 in three overs to damage Punjab’s chase. They were down to 75/4 at one stage before Sikandar Raza became the first Zimbabwe player to score a half-century in IPL history. Raza’s 57 off 41 propelled the chase before Khan smacked a four and two sixes to cross the finish line as Punjab scored 161-8 in 19.3 overs.
IPL 2023 points table after RCB vs DC and LSG vs PBKS
{{/usCountry}}IPL 2023 points table after RCB vs DC and LSG vs PBKS
{{/usCountry}}Punjab Kings have jumped past Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings to enter a crowded top four where all teams are now on six points. PBKS's net run rate of -0.109 keeps them at fourth place. Meanwhile, LSG remain second but their NRR has come down to 0.761. RCB, meanwhile, are now seventh with four points and an NRR of -0.316. DC remain rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points and an NRR of -1.488.
Orange Cap table after RCB vs DC and LSG vs PBKS
PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan may not have played Saturday's match but he continues to hold the Orange Cap, with second-placed David Warner only scoring 19 runs and taking his tally for the season to 228. Kohli, meanwhile, has gone past Buttler to take the third spot with 214 runs scored in four games at an average of 71.33 and strike rate of 147.58. RCB captain Faf du Plessis rounds off the top five with 197 runs in four matches at an average of 65.67 and strike rate of 168.37.
Purple Cap table after RCB vs DC and LSG vs PBKS
Mark Wood has taken the Purple Cap for now from Rajasthan Royals' Yuzvendra Chahal. Wood took two wickets on Saturday, thus taking his tally for the season to 11. Meanwhile, Ravi Bishnoi is now fourth on the standings, having taken two wickets as well on Saturday and taken his season's tally to eight. Chahal has 10 wickets to his name while third-placed Rashid Khan has nine. Arshdeep Singh rounds off the top five with eight wickets.