Harshal Patel, last season’s Purple Cap winner, continues to shine and impress with his death overs bowling in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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The right-arm pacer bowled two brilliant spells against Punjab Kings on Friday at the Brabourne Stadium. In the 20th over of Punjab Kings’ innings, Harshal picked up two wickets at expense of four runs to restrict PBKS to 209 for 9. And he returned with a figure of 4 for 34 in the match.

After PBKS were asked to bat first, Jonny Bairstow smashed a 21-ball half-century to power Punjab Kings to the highest PowerPlay score in IPL 2022. Bairstow eventually scored 66 off 29 balls with seven sixes and four boundaries. After his departure, Liam Livingstone played a magnificent 70 off 42 balls. His innings was studded with four sixes and five boundaries as PBKS raced to post a massive 200+ total on board.

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Livingstone was removed by Harshal Patel in the second ball of the 20th over. His dismissal denied PBKS a few more runs. 

Earlier Indian paceman took the wicket of PBKS skipper Mayank Agarwal and Harmanpreet Brar. But the most impressive part of his bowling came in the final over of the PBKS innings. It was still PBKS’s highest score in IPL history.

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Livingstone was caught by Dinesh Karthik after Harshal bowled a low full-toss on the stumps. Livingstone’s reverse lap went straight up and DK went back to complete the catch after a fumble. 

Two balls later, Rishi Dhawan was caught by Maxwell off Harshal’s bowling. He bowled a full and wide delivery outside off, more height than distance on the loft as Rishi Dhawan dragged it, Maxwell hung on this time at long-on. With this scalp, Harshal Patel completed a four-wicket haul amidst all this carnage.

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Harshal now has 18 wickets from 12 matches in IPL 2022 and he is now third on the Purple Cap list behind teammate Wanindu Hasaranga, who has taken 23 wickets in 13 matches, including a brace on Friday, and Yuzvendra Chahal, who also has 23 wickets but played a game less than the Sri Lankan spinner.