Who will win the 2024 IPL?

Few tournaments in world cricket as unforgiving as the IPL and the fickle nature of it, makes it hugely watchable for cricket punters and international betting sites. 

English batsman Jonny Bairstow is the latest big-name player to have etched his name into IPL history though, smashing 108* from 48 balls, after being dropped for the previous two games by the Punjab Kings.  

The 2024 edition of the IPL has seen runs scored like never before, with batters able to dominate bowlers in a previously unseen manner. 
 
Six of the top seven highest team totals in IPL history have been scored in this year's tournament, and this fixture was the third to surpass 500 aggregate runs in a match. 
 
The Punjab Kings have been struggling all season, but they came alive here against the Kolkata Knight Riders and it promises to be a fascinating end to the campaign for both teams. 
 
Record-breaking Kings 

At the halfway stage in this game, the writing looked to be on the wall for the Punjab Kings, who had been smashed all around the park by the Kolkata Knight Riders. 
 
Englishman Phil Salt has been a revelation in the IPL this season and he led the way with 75, as KKR posted an imperious 261/6 from their 20 overs. 
 
Little to no hope was given to the Kings at the halfway stage, given their recent troubles with the bat but Jonny Bairstow and co. had other ideas. 
 
Brilliant Bairstow 

In terms of cricketing ability, Jonny Bairstow would get into any side, in any format of the game but his inconsistency can frustrate coaches, as well as cricketing punters and betting sites. 
 
Bairstow had been dropped for the previous two games by the Punjab Kings, after struggling for form but he came back with a serious bang here. 
 
The Englishman blitzed 108 from just 48 balls and was accompanied well by Shashank Singh (68*) and Prabhsimran Singh (54), as the Kings surpassed the record-breaking target, with 8 balls to spare. 
 
Too late for the Kings? 

With 5 games of the regular season still to play, the Punjab Kings will see this result as a springboard for the remainder of the season. 
 
Sat in 8th place, the Kings do have more than a chance of chasing down the sides above them in the playoff hunt and they should take heart from this one. 
 
Games against the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru lie in wait next, and should they come through them, who knows how far the Kings could go this season.

The 2024 IPL has seen records tumbling and another scalp has gone in this year’s edition of the event. 
 
Jonny Bairstow inspired the Punjab Kings to a record-breaking T20 chase of 262 and the Englishman will be hoping to kick on in 2024, with a busy period ahead for both club and country.