Punjab Kings 262 for two (Bairstow 108*, Shashank 68*, Prabhsimran 54, Narine 1-24) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 261 for six (Salt 75, Narine 71, Arshdeep 2-45) by eight wickets

Like temperatures throughout the entire of India, run-scoring and six-hitting in IPL 2024 are going just one manner - up. In an unbelievably ruthless show of batting, Punjab Kings hunted down 262 in opposition to Kolkata Knight Riders to report the best profitable chase in all of T20 historical past, and received there with eight balls to spare. They hit 24 sixes, six greater than what KKR managed, and the 2 groups collectively set the report for essentially the most sixes in any T20 recreation.

Jonny Bairstow shellacked KKR to all components and introduced up his century in 45 balls•BCCI

Prabhsimran dominates the powerplay

Bairstow then went 4, 6, 4, 4, 6 off Anukul Roy within the sixth over, earlier than Prabhsimran, responding to the decision for a fast single from the non-striker's finish, was run out off the final ball of the powerplay.

Bairstow carts KKR throughout

Bairstow was dropped by PBKS after managing simply 96 runs in his first six innings this season. And he took his time discovering his toes in his return recreation, scoring simply 12 off his first 10 balls. But his assault on Roy gave a touch of what was to return. He discovered a little bit of assist in the ninth over, although, when Roy dropped him whereas flinging himself to his left at long-off, and failed to forestall the ball from going for six. That shot off Varun Chakravarthy introduced up Bairstow's fifty, off 23 balls.

Bairstow went after Varun once more within the eleventh over, launching him for a six over long-off, chipping a 4 over the bowler's head, and swat-pulling him for an additional six. When Bairstow received to his hundred off 45 balls to finish the sixteenth over, PBKS wanted 52 from 24.

Shashank Singh clubbed Dushmantha Chameera for 3 sixes within the seventeenth over•Associated Press

Shashank helps PBKS sail by

Shashank got here to the crease when Narine, who one way or the other conceded simply two fours and a six in his 4 overs, dismissed Rilee Rossouw for a 16-ball 26 within the thirteenth over. It was the primary time he had batted above No. 6 for PBKS, and he rapidly made his liking for the promotion evident, hitting Varun for back-to-back leg-side sixes when he had simply confronted three balls.

The recreation was tilting PBKS' manner when the final 4 overs started, and the sixteenth made them clear favourites, as Shashank thumped Chameera for 3 sixes - a swat, a scoop, and a pull - as PBKS' required charge fell to lower than two runs per ball. The match led to a rush, as Shashank clattered three extra sixes, off Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh, and the group started to disperse even earlier than the end result was formally confirmed. Shashank was batting on 25 when Bairstow reached his hundred; the match ended with Shashank on 68 and Bairstow on 108.

Phil Salt and Sunil Narine placed on 137 off simply 62 balls•BCCI

Salt, Narine arrange daunting KKR complete

PBKS dropped Salt twice and Narine as soon as inside the primary seven overs, and the 2 turbocharged openers ran away to 83 for no loss in that point. By the time KKR had reached the midway level of their innings, that they had added one other 54 to their rating. Narine reached his fifty within the eighth over, bringing it up 23 balls, and Salt received to his within the subsequent over.

At the 10-over mark, ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster predicted a KKR complete of 282.

PBKS lastly separated the opening pair when Rahul Chahar received Narine to mishit an enormous shot and discover Bairstow at long-on. Who knew then that Bairstow would have a lot of a say later within the day?

KKR promoted Andre Russell as much as No. 4, and he entered within the thirteenth over. Facing his second ball, he upper-cut Sam Curran for 4 to deep third. Chahar then bowled a quiet 14th over, conceding simply seven runs, nevertheless it was solely a brief little bit of respite, as Russell, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer - who hit Curran for six, 4, 6, 6 to finish the nineteenth over - joined fingers to take 85 off the final six overs.

KKR's complete of 261 for six would have been the second-highest in IPL historical past if it had been made earlier than this season. As it occurred, it was solely the seventh-highest on the midway level of this recreation, and the eighth highest by the point it was completed.

Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo