IPL 2024 - Arshdeep Singh strikes twice; sends SRH dangermen Travis Head and Aiden Markram packing

After winning the toss in Match 23 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, Punjab Kings (PBKS) got off to a good start as their pacer Arshdeep Singh dismissed two Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batters - Travis Head and Aiden Markram - in quick succession. Sam Curran came later and sent back the other opener Abhishek Sharma within the Powerplay.

ALSO READ | IPL 2024 points table - Despite loss, KKR sit on 2nd spot; Virat Kohli, Mustafizur Rahman lead orange and purple cap holders

The wicket of Head could have fallen on the very first ball of the match if only Kagiso Rabada had also appealed and gone for a review, as replays showed a spike on the UltraEdge. However, Arshdeep Singh did not let Head stay for long.

In his second over, in the 3.2 over, PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan took a good running catch and did his iconic thigh-slap celebration. It was a good length delivery angled across the left-hander, and Head went hard on the drive, losing his poise and sending the ball high in the air. The ball went over mid-off, but so did Dhawan who ran back while keeping his eyes on the ball, and completed a fine running catch. Head walked back for 21(15) [4s-4].

ALSO READ | IPL 2024 - Fans can't help but praise Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma as they help PBKS chase 200

Aiden Markram, who had just walked to the crease, was not allowed to settle as in the 3.4 over, Arshdeep sent him packing for a duck. A good length delivery shaping across the right-hander, Markram's feet hardly moved as he shaped for the drive. He only managed to get a thin edge, and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma did the rest. With this Arshdeep has taken 150 wickets in T20Is.

Later, in the 4.6 over, Sam Curran dismissed Abhishek Sharma to help PBKS get three wickets within the Powerplay. He kept it short and wide as Abhishek came charging down the wicket. The batter had to reach out for the drive, and it came off the lower half. The ball was dying in front of him at cover-point, but Shahshank Singh dived forward and got both hands under it. Abhishek Sharma walked back for 16(11) [4s-2 6s-1].

As of writing this article, in 7 overs SRH have scored 47 runs and lost three wickets. Nitish Reddy and impact sub-Rahul Tripathi are at the crease.

Teams:

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abdul Samad, Nitish Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan

Subs: Umran Malik, Mayank Markande, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tripathi

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan(c), Jonny Bairstow, Jitesh Sharma(w), Ashutosh Sharma, Sam Curran, Shashank Singh, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh

Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Nathan Ellis, Tanay Thyagarajan, Rahul Chahar, Rishi Dhawan