Veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan closed in on Virat Kohli's record for most fifties in the Indian Premier League, scoring his 51st in the tournament on Saturday.

Dhawan led Punjab Kings' chase of 200 runs against Lucknow Super Giants at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium. He reached his first fifty of the 2024 IPL season in just 30 balls.

Dhawan and his opening partner, Jonny Bairstow, attacked Lucknow's new-ball bowlers on a good batting pitch. Dhawan looked sharp from the outset, taking responsibility for keeping the scoreboard ticking during the challenging pursuit.

He targeted the Lucknow spinners, including debutant M. Siddharth and Ravi Bishnoi. Notably, Dhawan reached his fifty with a six off Bishnoi's first over.

This was Dhawan's 51st fifty in IPL cricket, placing him third on the all-time list. He already holds the record for most boundaries in the T20 league, having hit over 700 fours in his career. Additionally, Dhawan became the 17th player in IPL history to hit 150 or more sixes during the Saturday game.