Ravichandran Ashwin, off-spinner for Team India and Rajasthan Royals, issued an SOS (Save Our Souls) to spinners during the highest-scoring match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings on Friday, April 26 at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. The IPL 2024 battle between KKR and PBKS featured a run-fest as both teams viciously targeted one another's bowlers with boundaries and sixes. After being summoned to bat by Punjab Kings captain Sam Curran, the Kolkata Knight Riders showed no compassion to the opposition's bowling attack, posting their second-best total in IPL history, 261/6 in 20 overs and setting a 262-run mark for PBKS to chase down. Phil Salt (75) and Sunil Narine (71) wreaked havoc at the top, scoring 138 runs in just 10.2 overs. Venkatesh Iyer (39), Shreyas Iyer (28), and Andre Russell (24) all contributed to KKR's excellent total. However, as the Punjab Kings were on the verge of making T20 cricket history, Ravichandran Ashwin spoke out in favor of the bowlers.
Taking to his X handle (previously Twitter), the experienced off-spinner posted, "Save the bowlers" someone please. The Punjab Kings scored the highest run chase in T20 history, with 8 balls to spare. Jonny Bairstow and Prabhsimran Singh (54) together for 93 runs before the latter was dismissed.
Then, Rilee Rossouw chipped in with 26 off 16 balls, anchoring an 85-run second-wicket stand with Bairstow. Following Rossouw's dismissal, Bairstow was joined at the crease by Shashank Singh, and the duo launched an undefeated 84-run partnership against the Kolkata Knight Riders' bowlers. Jonny Bairstow achieved his first century of the season, reaching 108 off 48 balls. He needed only 23 balls to reach the three-figure mark after scoring fifty in 22 balls. Shashank batted up the order, scoring 68 off 28 balls with an amazing strike rate of 242.86.
Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders hit a record T20 sixes.Aside from the T20 cricket record chase, the Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders hit 42 sixes in their IPL 2024 match, a record in the format.In the high-scoring IPL 2024 battle, KKR hit 18 maximums while PBKS hit 23 sixes. Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings will combine for 40 sixes in a single match. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians formerly held the record for most sixes in IPL 2024 (38).
In the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings, seven bowlers gave more than 40 runs in their periods, with Harshit Rana allowing the highest with 61 runs without a wicket and an economy rate of 15.20 in four overs.
