'WOWZA, some striking!' - Netizens abuzz as Curran, Jitesh, Harpreet power PBKS to 214 against MI

Courtesy of a scintillating performance by the lower middle-order, Punjab Kings (PBKS) posted a humongous first innings total of 214 runs against Mumbai Indians (MI). The two sides squared off in Match 31 of the ongoing IPL 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, April 22. Notably, MI skipper Rohit Sharma announced one major change as speedster Jofra Archer made his way back into the XI.

Upon winning the toss, Rohit put the visiting team to bat first. The five-time winners drew first blood as opener Matthew Short was sent packing by star all-rounder Cameron Green for 11 off 10 balls. A few overs later, Prabhsimran Singh headed back to the pavilion as Arjun Tendulkar trapped the former for an LBW.

Liam Livingstone and Atharva Taide got a few boundaries to help PBKS revive their innings. However, it was veteran leggie Piyush Chawla who struck twice in the same over to dent the game for the visitors. 

The visiting team pinned their hopes on stand-in skipper Sam Curran to come all guns blazing and deliver the goods. Curran lived up to his massive price tag as he hammered four maximums and five boundaries to notch up a quick-fire 29-ball 55.

He was aided by Harpreet Bhatia, who played a blazing cameo of 41 off 28 balls. The pair of Curran and Harpreet combined to score 92 runs off 50 balls to get the derailed side back on track. Jitesh Sharma, too, joined the party as he clobbered four sixes in his smashing cameo of 25 runs off seven balls.  

Jitesh first targeted Cameron Green in the final two balls of the 18^th over, hammering one over long-off for a 74-metre six and followed it with a second one over the same spot to get two sixes on the trot. He then took Behrendorff to the cleaners as he clobbered a full toss just outside off to get it over mid-off for a mammoth 104-metre six in the final over. Likewise, in the third ball of the same over, Jitesh pulled a massive one over backward square to get his fourth six in his impressive cameo.

Meanwhile, Cameron Green and Piyush Chawla got two wickets each whereas Jason Behrendorff, Jofra Archer and Arjun Tendulkar got one wicket apiece. Kings posted a humongous first-innings score of 214 runs in their stipulated 20 overs of the contest.

Here is how Twitter buzzed during the first innings of MI vs PBKS-

Yusuf Pathan@iamyusufpathan

Feel #RohitSharma missed the trick by not giving #PiyushChawla his fourth over. #IPL2023

09:18 PM · Apr 22, 2023

934

Michael Vaughan@MichaelVaughan

24 yrs of age and Captaining an IPL team .. 26 ball 50 as well for Sam Curran .. !! #IPL2023 .. Brilliant cricketer @PunjabKingsIPL 👍

09:15 PM · Apr 22, 2023

1.3K66

Kevin Pietersen🦏@KP24

Punjab PUNISHERS! Wowza, this is some striking now…🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

09:09 PM · Apr 22, 2023

96148

KRISH ♡👑@KR4VK18

Well played Sam Curran ❤️‍🔥 #PBKSvsMI #SamCurran

09:15 PM · Apr 22, 2023

30

Johns.@CricCrazyjonhs_

JITESH SHARMA , WHAT A FREAK HE IS. 25 OFF JUST 7 DELIVERY 🔥🔥🔥 #PBKSvsMI

09:18 PM · Apr 22, 2023

11

Shweta Makhijani@shweta_mak

JITESH!!!!!! That was some insane stuff! #MIvsPBKS #PBKSvsMI

09:19 PM · Apr 22, 2023

00

fan of cricket 🏏@CopdCopy95319

What a finished 25(7) Strike rate 350♥️ #jiteshsharma #PBKSvsMI

09:20 PM · Apr 22, 2023

10

DepRessed man@PrabaHere01

Fan of jitesh sharma 💥🔥👑 #PBKSvsMI #MIvsPBKS

09:20 PM · Apr 22, 2023

00

Noyan 🚭@_noyan_bey

PBKS dropped Sikandar Raza for fraud Liam Livingston. 🤡 #PBKSvsMI

09:19 PM · Apr 22, 2023

30

Akhil  Rajput@AkhilR88

Now thats called a cameo @jiteshsharma_ #PBKSvsMI

09:21 PM · Apr 22, 2023

00

Dipanjan Chatterjee@I_am_DipC

A lovely cameo from Jitesh Sharma - 25 in just 7 balls with 4 sixes. He smashed a 104M six as well. #JiteshSharma #PBKSvsMI #TATAIPL2023 #CricketTwitter

09:21 PM · Apr 22, 2023

00

Yusuf Pathan@iamyusufpathan

It never looked like #PBKS will score 200+ but that was some unbelievable hitting from the inexperienced batting lineup in the last 5 ovs. 2nd inns will be interesting #MIvPBKS #IPL2023

09:19 PM · Apr 22, 2023

786