NEWS WAVE INDIA: In the season opener of the Indian Premier League, Punjab Kings emerged victorious against Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method after heavy rain interrupted play.

Batting first, Punjab Kings managed to score 191/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa smashed 50 runs off 32 balls, while skipper Shikhar Dhawan contributed 40 runs from 29 deliveries.

In response, Kolkata Knight Riders were chasing a target of 192 but were left stranded at 146 for 7 after 16 overs when the match was interrupted by heavy rain. At the time of the interruption, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score was 153.

However, the game changed after Punjab Kings’ Sam Curran dismissed the dangerous Andre Russell at a crucial moment. Russell was looking to steer Kolkata Knight Riders towards victory. Subsequently, Arshdeep Singh took the wicket of Venkatesh Iyer in the next over.

If Kolkata Knight Riders had not lost those two wickets, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score would have been lower before the rain started pouring down.

The result of the game means that Punjab Kings start their Indian Premier League campaign on a winning note, while Kolkata Knight Riders will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.