In yet another last-ball finish, KKR defeated PBKS in a must-win encounter to keep their playoff hopes alive. Punjab Kings put a target of 180 runs for KKR to chase down, which they chased down off the final ball to secure a hard-fought win. As for the Purple Cap, it has seen two crucial changes after tonight’s nail-biter.
Varun Chakaravarthy’s magic works again
KKR, known for their strategic use of spin bowling, demonstrated their prowess by selecting three spinners for their recent match. Their plan was to unleash their spin attack during the powerplay and at the death. The first spinner to take the ball was Varun Chakravarthy, who delivered a magnificent leg break to dismiss the rampaging Livingstone in his first over. But he didn’t stop there, as he continued to weave his magic, claiming two more scalps and finishing his spell with figures of 3/26 in four overs.
Chakaravarthy has risen high and is now placed in the 5th spot on the Purple Cap list. He is KKR’s best bowler this season, having picked up 17 wickets in 11 games at an economy rate of 7.84. If Chakaravarthy continues to put up these magical performances for KKR, he has a shot at the Purple Cap as he is just 2 wickets behind Mohammed Shami, who sits at the top of the Purple Cap list with 19 wickets in 11 games.
Arshdeep goes wicketless
After having an amazing start to the 2023 IPL season, it seems like Arshdeep Singh’s form has dipped a little in the last few games. Arshdeep went wicketless tonight as the left-arm pacer was smashed for 39 runs in his 4-over spell. However, he did almost defend 6 runs in the final over with his on-point yorkers before Rinku Singh stole the show with a last-ball four.
Arshdeep has now slipped down to the 7th place in the Purple Cap list. He has 16 wickets in 11 games but his economy rate is a slight problem for the Punjab Kings. In 40.5 overs bowled this season, the young seamer has given away 400 runs at an economy rate of 9.79 runs per over.
Purple Cap list after KKR vs PBKS Match 53:
| Rank | Bowler Name | Team | Matches Played | Wickets | Best Bowling | Economy |
| 1. | Mohammed Shami | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 19 | 4/11 | 7.23 |
| 2. | Rashid Khan | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 19 | 3/14 | 8.09 |
| 3. | Tushar Deshpande | Chennai Super Kings | 11 | 19 | 3/45 | 10.33 |
| 4. | Piyush Chawla | Mumbai Indians | 10 | 17 | 3/22 | 7.17 |
| 5. | Varun Chakaravarthy | Kolkata Knight Riders | 11 | 17 | 4/15 | 7.84 |
| 6. | Yuzvendra Chahal | Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 17 | 4/17 | 8.08 |
| 7. | Arshdeep Singh | Punjab Kings | 11 | 16 | 4/29 | 9.79 |
| 8. | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | 11 | 15 | 3/20 | 7.38 |
| 9. | Mohammed Siraj | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 10 | 15 | 4/21 | 7.72 |
| 10. | Ravichandran Ashwin | Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 14 | 2/23 | 7.39 |
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