LUCKNOW: Punjab Kings arrive at the Ekana Stadium on Saturday with no room left for error. After six straight defeats, a campaign that once promised much has reached a nervous finish — beat Lucknow Super Giants and stay alive, or lose and bow out. PBKS are fifth with 13 points and a net run rate of +0.227. Victory will take them to 15 but qualification will still depend on results elsewhere. Rajasthan Royals, currently ahead of them, can shut Punjab out by beating Mumbai Indians.
If Rajasthan slip, PBKS will also keep an eye on Kolkata Knight Riders’ final game against Delhi Capitals, with KKR another side capable of reaching 15. For LSG, the stakes are different but not insignificant. Their playoff hopes are over and they sit at the bottom with four wins from 13 matches, but their last home game offers a chance to finish with some dignity and shape another team’s season.
Punjab also hold the recent edge between the sides, having beaten LSG by 54 runs earlier this season in New Chandigarh. LSG assistant coach Lance Klusener admitted inconsistency had defined their campaign. “We haven’t really been able to string it all together,” he said, pointing to a batting unit that improved only in the second half.
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