Delhi Capitals scored 174/9 in 20 overs, where as Punjab Kings scored 177/6 in 19.2 overs.
So, finally Punjab Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 4 wickets.
In a historic moment for IPL 2024, Sam Curran emerged as the tournament’s first half-centurion, propelling Punjab Kings to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals at Mullanpur’s new stadium in Chandigarh.
Despite Delhi Capitals’ posting a challenging total of 174/9, largely owing to the impactful innings of substitute Abishek Porel, Curran’s stellar performance of 63 runs off 47 balls spearheaded Punjab Kings’ successful chase, culminating in a memorable win with four deliveries to spare.
Promising Start Amidst Early Losses
The chase kicked off with a flurry of boundaries in the opening over, with Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow each finding the ropes twice off Khaleel Ahmed’s deliveries.
While Dhawan continued to find the fence, the breakthrough for Delhi Capitals came in the fourth over, courtesy of veteran pacer Ishant Sharma who dismissed Dhawan with a well-directed delivery.
Bairstow’s dismissal followed soon after, as Ishant’s fingertips on a delivery led to a run-out at the non-striker’s end.
Despite the setbacks, Punjab Kings’ impact substitute Prabhsimran Singh managed to add two boundaries to the tally, albeit with one coming off an edge.
Prabhsimran and Curran then consolidated during the powerplay, guiding the Kings to 60/2.
They faced spin confidently, untroubled by the likes of Axar or Kuldeep.
However, Kuldeep’s deceptive wrong’un brought an end to Prabhsimran’s innings as he failed to clear long on.
At the halfway mark, Kings stood at 87/3, one run ahead of the Capitals but also one wicket down.
PBKS Maintain Momentum in the Chase
Jitesh Sharma managed to survive a stumping appeal in the 11th over delivered by Sumit Kumar, who, in the same over, conceded two boundaries.
However, in the subsequent over, Rishabh Pant’s quick reflexes behind the stumps led to Jitesh’s dismissal via stumping off Kuldeep.
Despite Kuldeep’s persistent efforts, including completing his fourth over by the 14th, luck eluded him when Tristan Stubbs dropped a low catch at long on, denying him the wicket of Curran.
Kuldeep concluded his spell with impressive figures of 2-20, but with Ishant Sharma sidelined due to injury after bowling two overs early in the innings, Delhi Capitals had to find alternative options.
Mitchell Marsh was entrusted with the ball for his third over, only to be punished by Curran, who struck two boundaries and a six, while Liam Livingstone also contributed with a six, resulting in Marsh conceding 18 runs in that over.
DC’s Valiant Effort in Vain
In the 16th over, Sam Curran notched up his fifty, showcasing his prowess with the bat.
Punjab Kings’ batsmen successfully navigated through Axar Patel’s spell, who remained wicketless, conceding 25 runs.
With 39 runs required off 24 deliveries, Punjab Kings held the advantage, especially considering Delhi Capitals’ depleted pace attack.
The equation reduced further to 28 runs off 18 balls, as Liam Livingstone struck two boundaries off Khaleel Ahmed.
As Mitchell Marsh concluded the 18th over, Punjab Kings’ dominance became evident, plundering 18 runs, including a six each from Curran and Livingstone.
Despite the relentless efforts from Khaleel and Delhi Capitals, the left-arm pacer managed to dismiss both Curran and Shashank Singh off consecutive deliveries.
Khaleel even had an opportunity to dismiss Harpreet Brar, but David Warner dropped the catch.
However, with only six runs needed off the final over, bowled by Sumit Kumar, the outcome was inevitable.
Liam Livingstone sealed the victory for Punjab Kings with a towering six, rendering Delhi Capitals’ late fight futile in the end.
DC’s Top Order Sets Solid Foundation
The backdrop of a black-soil pitch, which offered little assistance to bowlers, emphasized the necessity for precision from both sides.
Punjab Kings quickly discerned this, as Mitchell Marsh capitalized on deliveries directed towards his pads by Sam Curran, dispatching them for boundaries.
Despite the allowance for two short deliveries per over, David Warner and Marsh comfortably dispatched them for sixes.
Although Marsh’s dismissal to Arshdeep Singh halted the onslaught, Warner continued to dominate, even executing a scooped shot off a Rabada delivery for another six.
At the conclusion of the powerplay, Delhi Capitals stood at 54/1.
Shai Hope took on the spinners, notably targeting Rahul Chahar.
Warner’s departure to a well-executed slow delivery from Harshal Patel momentarily slowed down the Capitals’ momentum.
However, they continued their forward march, reaching 86/2 by the halfway stage, showcasing commendable progress despite the loss of Warner.
PBKS Apply Pressure with Regular Breakthroughs
Following David Warner’s departure in the eighth over, Rishabh Pant stepped onto the crease, marking his return to active cricket after a hiatus of 450 days since a near-fatal accident in December 2022.
The Delhi Capitals’ skipper had the responsibility to anchor the innings, but the momentum suffered another blow when Shai Hope fell victim to a slower delivery from Rabada.
Pant received a lucky break as Harshal Patel failed to field the ball cleanly after the batter played a pull shot.
However, Pant’s respite was short-lived as Harshal redeemed himself by dismissing the Capitals’ skipper, who attempted to ramp a lackluster short ball.
The Kings utilized the Decision Review System (DRS) successfully to send Ricky Bhui packing in the 14th over, further denting the Capitals’ progress as they stood at 111/5.
Abishek Leaves a Mark
With the pressure mounting on Tristan Stubbs and Axar Patel to propel the Capitals towards a competitive total, Stubbs’s innings was short-lived, lasting only eight deliveries as he perished attempting an inside-out drive off Rahul Chahar.
The Capitals suffered another setback when a direct hit from substitute fielder Tanay Thyagarajan caught Axar short of the crease while attempting a quick second run, leaving them at 138/7 in the 18th over.
In a crucial turn of events, the Capitals turned to Abishek Porel, whose left-handed prowess shone through in the final stages of the innings.
Porel’s impact was palpable as he unleashed a flurry of boundaries and sixes, including a boundary off Harshal Patel in the 18th over, followed by two sixes and two fours in the final over.
Porel’s heroics helped the Capitals surpass the 170-run mark, albeit their limited bowling resources proved to be a decisive factor in the end.
What’s on the Horizon?
After a well-deserved four-day break, the Capitals will resume their campaign against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on March 28.
Meanwhile, the Kings face a shorter turnaround as they gear up to clash with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 25.
Leave a Reply