Liam Livingstone (94 off 48 balls) and Atharva Taide (retired out for 55 off 42) scored half-centuries on a good batting track but they failed to overhaul the mammoth 214-run target and could only muster 198-8 in the stipulated 20 overs.
IPL 2023: Liam Livingstone’s best IPL knock
Punjab were off to a poor start in the big run chase as their captain Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for a duck in the powerplay by Ishant Sharma. Prabhsimran Singh – the centurion from the previous meeting between the two teams in New Delhi – too failed to leave a mark and was dismissed for 22 by Axar Patel.
Livingstone’s lone warrior effort earned him big praises but his effort with the bat wasn’t enough to take his team home. The hard-hitting all-rounder from England smashed nine powerful sixes and five boundaries but they weren’t enough as he found no support in the death overs at the other end.
PBKS team management’s decision in the game also looked questionable as they sent in a message pretty late to get Taide retired-out even as he was set on the crease and had stitched a crucial partnership with Livingstone – who posted his best score in the competition.
The new-men-in Jitesh Sharma (0), Shahrukh Khan (6) and Sam Curran (11) also perished cheaply while trying to score quickly even as Livingstone was trying to do everything in his capabilities to keep the chasing team in the hunt.
With 33 required off the last six deliveries, senior Ishant Sharma was hit by Livingstone for a six and a boundary and a No-Ball from the right-arm pacer added to the excitement and drama. But Ishant ensured Livingstone couldn’t do a Rinku Singh and pull off a heist.
Delhi Capitals take sweet revenge
They say revenge is best served when cold, and the Delhi Capitals took sweet revenge from Punjab Kings in the cold locales of the Dharamsala with snow-capped Shivalik ranges in the background on the highest cricket stadium on the planet.
Delhi Capitals, thus, avenged their loss against Punjab Kings at home last week. It was the defeat which eliminated Delhi Capitals from the playoffs race and they seem to have done the same in the highly-anticipated Northern Derby on the foothills of the Himalayas.
IPL 2023 Points Table | IPL 2023 Stats
DC are now on 10 points from 13 games while Punjab Kings stay on 12 points from 13 games and the best they can reach is 14 points. With still so many teams in playoffs contention, the 14 points will not help PBKS finish in the top four at the end of the league stage. Punjab’s defeat comes as good news to CSK, RCB and MI.
Shaw-Rossouw slam fifties and DC spoil PBKS’ party
Earlier in the day, put in to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a brisk start as under-fire Prithvi Shaw – making his comeback after nearly a month – was finally back among runs with a 38-ball 54. While South African Rilee Rossouw smashed a scintillating 82 not out off 37 balls to take David Warner and his band to 213 for 2.
Skipper Warner also contributed 46 off 31 balls with DC top order posting a decent total. It is their highest total of the season. For Punjab Kings, Sam Curran had figures of 2 for 36 in four overs.
Top-order batter Rossouw found his mojo to slam his maiden IPL fifty as Delhi Capitals finally came to the party. Shaw, who made his last appearance in this season’s IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 20, returned to form to post a 35-ball 50, his first in 13 IPL innings.
Shaw copped body blows from Rabada en route to his 38-ball knock (7×4, 1×6) as he along with his skipper David Warner (46 from 31b; 5×4, 2×6) gave their best start of the season.
The duo put together a 94-run opening stand, their highest this season before Rossouw took charge of the proceedings with his maiden IPL fifty that came off 25 balls. Rossouw took charge when he sent his South African teammate into the orbit with a six over long-off.
He followed it up with a boundary and then a sublime pick-up six over deep square leg as there was no looking back for the South African from there on. Rabada went on to concede 36 from his three overs, while Sam Curran took 2/36.
From a sedate six for no loss in two overs, DC raced to 61 without losing a wicket in the powerplay with Warner and Shaw putting up their highest opening partnership this season after PBKS opted to bowl. This was the second instance when DC did not lose a wicket inside the powerplay this season.
DC got going when Warner whacked Curran for back-to-back boundaries before taking on Rabada. Shaw pulled Rabada for a boundary before Warner took on the South African pacer with two sixes in three balls in a 17-run over.
They cruised to 50 inside five overs as Warner and Shaw took on the Punjab bowlers. Nothing went in PBKS’ favour on Wednesday, with Rahul Chahar dropping a sitter to give Warner a reprieve on 39. The Aussie was done in by a spectacular catch by Shikhar Dhawan but by then DC were on course for a 200-plus total.
(With PTI inputs)
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