PowerPlays told a story, and so did the captains

PowerPlays sometimes tell you things that scorecards don't.

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One glance at the first six overs of the game between Pujab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants and it screams how it unfolded. Punjab Kings were 61/1 after the PowerPlay, and Lucknow Super Giants 39/3. That alone was enough to foretell the result. Because statistically, it's brutal for teams that lose three or more wickets in the PowerPlay. Since the start of IPL 2023, such teams have gone on to lose over 72% of their matches.

But the contrast ran deeper when you read between the numbers. Both teams played the PowerPlay, and perhaps the rest of the match, like their captains would.