IPL 2025: 'His innings was dictating pace of the chase', Williamson lauds Prabhsimran's knock vs LSG

Lucknow, April 2 (IANS) Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson hailed Prabsimran Singh's impressive knock against Lucknow Super Giants as incredible, saying his innings dictated the pace of the chase in setting a strong foundation for skipper Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera to wrap up the win.

Prabhsimran played an explosive knock of 69 off 34 balls, laying a strong foundation. Skipper Iyer continued his excellent form, remaining unbeaten with his second consecutive half-century (52 not out) with Wadhera adding a valuable 43 not out, ensuring a smooth finish as PBKS wrapped up the chase with 22 balls to spare.

"It was an explosive start. In the first innings, the pitch didn’t seem the easiest to bat on, and it was difficult to find fluency. However, Prabhsimran didn't let that affect him—he came in with intent, threw the first punch, and never looked back. His 69 off 34 balls was incredible—shots all around the ground, completely dictating the pace of the chase. His knock set the perfect platform for Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera to come in and finish the innings," Williamson said on JioHotstar.

Earlier, PBKS controlled the early stages of the game as Arshdeep Singh led the attack with figures of 3-31 as LSG were restricted to 171/7.

Sharing his thoughts on Arshdeep's performance, Williamson said the pacer executed his role beautifully at the start as well as in the final over.

"He is a high-quality bowler and has been part of the Indian setup for quite some time now. On that surface, he understood that patience and hitting the right areas would yield results for seam bowlers. He picked up crucial wickets, and if this wasn't considered a great day for Arshdeep, then a truly great day would probably be taking three or four wickets for 20 runs, which would exceed anyone's expectations.

"His early breakthrough was key—dismissing Mitchell Marsh, who has been giving his team strong starts, made a huge impact. Controlling the powerplay often sets the tone for the game, and Arshdeep executed his role beautifully, both at the start and in the final over," said Williamson.

With a win on Tuesday night, PBKS extended their unbeaten streak in the IPL 2025, boosting their confidence for the games ahead.

Williamson further commented on PBKS's winning performance, saying, "There's a real buzz around that team, and many players and commentators have been discussing the balance of their squad. They certainly have a great balance, but more importantly, they are playing beautifully, complementing each other exceptionally well."

"At the moment, they are possibly the team to watch out for—extremely well-led. Shreyas Iyer is moving to the beat of his drum; he remains completely unfazed by external noise and just focuses on playing his game. He carries a real swagger, which is fantastic to see, and it seems to be infectious for the players around him.

"They've already used around 14 players in just two games, deploying different impact players, all of whom have made a significant contribution. It's truly impressive to see how the team is coming together," he added.

--IANS

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