Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 5 : A fighting half-century by Ayush Badoni and his 81-run stand with Abdul Samad was the only highlight as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a 37-run loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 37 runs due to a top-order failure at HPCA stadium in Dharmasala on Sunday.
With this win, PBKS is at second spot with seven wins and three losses and one no result, giving them 15 points. LSG is at seventh spot, with five wins and six losses, giving them 10 points.
During the run-chase of 237 runs, LSG was off to an extremely poor start as in the third over, Arshdeep Singh got rid of openers Mitchell Marsh (0) and Aiden Markram (13), reducing LSG to 16/2 in three overs.
Arshdeep was on fire, as Nicholas Pooran's poor run of scores after a strong start continued, as he fell leg-before-wicket to the left-armer for just six runs. LSG was 27/3 in 4.2 overs.
At the end of powerplay, LSG was 38/3, with Ayush Badoni (9*) and skipper Rishabh Pant (6*) unbeaten.
Pant and Badoni were trying to stitch a partnership, but a poor shot from him gave Azmatullah Omarzai his wicket, with Shashank Singh taking his catch at sweeper cover. Pant was gone for 18 in 17 balls, with a four and six, continuing his poor run. LSG was 4/58 in 7.5 overs.
The Shashank-Omarzai combination produced another success for PBKS, with David Miller gone for 11 in eight balls. LSG was half side down at 73 runs in 9.5 overs.
In the coming overs, youngsters Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad stitched a stand, smashing 21 runs off Vijakumar Vyshak's over, consisting of two fours and two sixes, with Badoni as aggressor. LSG brought up their 100 runs in 12 overs.
Samad got two sixes against Yuzvendra Chahal, and he also attacked Marcus Stoinis' pace. LSG reached the 150-run mark in 16 overs.
The remarkable 81-run stand between the duo ended, with Samad being caught and bowled by Marco Jansen for 45 in 24 balls, with two fours and four sixes. LSG was 154/6 in 16.4 overs.
Badoni reached his second fifty of the season in 32 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.
Badoni continued to tonk fours and sixes against pacers, but the equation left was 49 runs in the final over. His valiant knock was ended by Chahal in the final over for 74 in 40 balls, with five fours and five sixes. LSG finished at 199/7, with Avesh Khan (19*) and Prince Yadav (1*) unbeaten.
Arshdeep delivered a brilliant four-over spell, giving 16 runs and taking three wickets. Omarzai took 2/33 in his four overs. Marco and Chahal took one wicket each.
An explosive innings by Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Prabhsimran Singh, followed by a cameo from Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis, powered Punjab to 236/5 in their 20 overs against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday, in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
After winning the toss, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant asked PBKS to bat first. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh opened the innings for Punjab. Arya was removed in the first over, as Akash Singh was playing his first match of this season.

Wicketkeeper/batter Josh Inglis joined Singh in the middle. Inglis smashed three sixes in the second over off Mayank Yadav. Mayank kept getting hammered as Singh also opened his arms and made 16 runs off his second over.
Akash removed Inglis in the fourth over of the match for 30 (14), his innings included a four and four sixes. PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer joined Singh in the middle. PBKS finished their power-play on 66/2.
PBKS reached the 100 runs mark in the 10th over, Shreyas Iyer 20*, Prabhsimran Singh 48*. Singh brought up his fifty in the 11th over, in 30 balls. Digvesh Rathi, after being smashed for a six, removed the Punjab skipper on the very next ball for 45(25), Iyer's innings included four fours and two sixes. Nehal Wadhera joined Singh in the middle.
Prince Yadav removed Wadhera for 16 (9), his innings included two fours and a six. Shashank Singh joined Prabhsimran in the middle.
Mayank took a hammering from the Punjab batters; he went wicketless and finished his four overs, and gave 60 runs with an economy of 15.00.
Punjab Kings batter kept smashing boundaries in every over, they brought up the 200-run mark in the 18th over.
Shashank and Prabhsimran made 26 off Avesh Khan in the 18th over. Rathi gets the big wicket of Prabhsimran Singh for 91 in the 19th over, his innings included six fours and seven sixes.
For LSG in bowling, Akash and Digvesh took two wickets each, and Prince Yadav took a wicket.
PBKS finished on 236/5 in their 20 overs, LSG will require 237 when they come out to chase.
Brief score: PBKS 236/5:( Prabhsimran Singh 91, Shreyas Iyer 45; Akash Singh 2/30) beat LSG: 199/7 (Ayush Badoni 74, Abdul Samad 45, Arshdeep Singh 3/16).