On Wednesday (May 17) at Dharamsala, Rilee Rossouw and Liam Livingstone illuminated the night sky, delivering an impressive display. However, despite their efforts, the Delhi Capitals emerged as the dominant force, dealing a blow to the playoff aspirations of the Punjab Kings. In a match characterized by a flurry of runs, PBKS ultimately fell short by 15 runs, leaving them heavily dependent on other outcomes to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Capitals make the PP count
The Capitals' poor performance in the tournament can be attributed, in part, to their inability to capitalize on power play opportunities effectively. However, this changed during the match in Dharamsala. Despite a slow start in the opening two overs from the openers, Prithvi Shaw's return to the XI proved crucial. In the third over, David Warner hit two consecutive boundaries, setting the stage for a dominant display in the latter half of the powerplay. Kagiso Rabada was punished by Warner, who hit two sixes through the leg side, while Shaw took on Arshdeep Singh and scored 16 runs in one over. These efforts helped the Capitals rack up an impressive 60 runs in the first six overs.
How did they fare post the powerplay?
Shaw continued to push forward, utilizing the shorter square boundaries to his advantage and hitting Rahul Chahar for two consecutive fours. Meanwhile, Warner struggled to make an impact but eventually broke free by hitting Nathan Ellis for a boundary. By the halfway point, Delhi Capitals (DC) had scored 93 runs and were on track to reach 200. However, Shikhar Dhawan's spectacular catch unexpectedly ended Warner's innings, giving Punjab Kings (PBKS) a much-needed breakthrough. In a surprising turn of events, Rossouw had a remarkable start to his innings, hitting Rabada for two sixes and smashing another one straight over Rahul Chahar's head, taking his score to 34 off just 14 deliveries. Meanwhile, at the other end, Shaw completed his half-century before getting caught in the deep and dismissed for 54.
Carnage at the death
Shaw's dismissal had minimal impact on the ongoing momentum as Phil Salt joined Rossouw in the middle, inflicting a costly toll on PBKS. Rossouw impressively reached his fifty in just 25 balls, positioning himself for a strong finish. Although it was expected that PBKS would utilize Arshdeep in the final overs, Dhawan surprised everyone by choosing the left-arm spin of Harpreet Brar. Despite Brar's commendable 18th over, conceding only one boundary, Rossouw made effective adjustments in the last over against the spinner, placing the pressure back on the bowler. Consequently, the result was a remarkable 23-run over, propelling the Capitals well beyond the 200-run milestone. Salt capitalized on the penultimate over, delivering a barrage of two sixes and a four against Ellis.
PBKS make an indifferent start to the chase
DC managed to amass a score of 60 during the PowerPlay, while Punjab Kings faced difficulties with the swinging new ball. Ishan Sharma took the wicket of Dhawan, who unfortunately fell for a golden duck after edging the ball behind. Following the dismissal, Atharva Taide and Prabhsimran Singh encountered challenges in finding boundaries, resulting in PBKS being at 11/1 after 3.3 overs. However, a sequence of three consecutive boundaries provided some momentum, allowing them to reach 47 runs by the end of the PowerPlay. Nevertheless, this total proved insufficient as the required run rate continued to rise significantly. Prabhsimran's attempt to accelerate the scoring led to his dismissal, and Liam Livingstone struggled initially, resulting in PBKS only scoring 75 runs by the halfway stage.
Did they finally get some impetus?
Yes, they indeed did. Livingstone, who got a second chance when he had only scored 3 runs, successfully hit a six off Mukesh Kumar to gain momentum, while Taide took on Axar Patel. After 12 overs, PBKS had reached 100 runs and needed to accelerate significantly. While Livingstone continued to enjoy his batting, Taide reached his half-century on the other side. Nevertheless, without any room for mistakes, a tight over from Kuldeep Yadav once again restricted PBKS. Despite scoring 53 runs during that five-over period, PBKS still required a miracle to achieve victory, with the equation now at 86 runs needed off 30 balls.
An exciting ending
PBKS employed a tactical move by ensuring Taide retired to allow Jitesh Sharma to take on the target. However, their strategy took a massive blow when Jitesh departed for a duck, leaving the onus entirely on Livingstone after Shahrukh Khan found the fielder despite fetching a six early on.
Livingstone almost pulled off the win by hitting the DC bowlers for sixes at the death. He hit Khaleel Ahmed for two sixes and a four, and when PBKS needed 59 runs from 18 balls, Livingstone hammered Mukesh for three sixes to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. However, the contest seemed to have settled when Anrich Nortje bowled a fantastic penultimate over, bringing the equation down to an improbable 33 runs from six balls.
Livingstone failed to connect with the first ball of the final over, making the result appear like a foregone conclusion. Livingstone smashed two sixes and a four off the following three balls, while Ishant also overstepped once, reducing the equation to 16 runs off three balls. However, there was still one more surprise in store. Ultimately, Livingstone failed to connect with the ball at a crucial moment, resulting in an anticlimactic end to the hunt.
In a concise summary, the Delhi Capitals emerged victorious with a score of 213/2 in 20 overs, led by an unbeaten knock of 82 runs by Rilee Rossouw and a half-century by Prithvi Shaw with 54 runs. Sam Curran claimed 2 wickets for 36 runs for the Punjab Kings. Despite a valiant effort from Liam Livingstone with 94 runs and Atharva Taide with 55 runs, Punjab Kings fell short with 198/8 in 20 overs. Anrich Nortje and Ishant Sharma, taking 2 wickets each, played a crucial role in Delhi Capitals' triumph, securing a 15-run victory.
What will these two sides do next?
DC is looking to replicate their success in denting PBKS's playoff chances in their upcoming match against Chennai Super Kings at home. Meanwhile, PBKS will be facing off against Rajasthan Royals in Dharamsala on Friday (May 19), and the outcome of that match will be critical for both teams.
Conclusion -
In conclusion, the upcoming matches between DC and Chennai Super Kings and PBKS and Rajasthan Royals hold immense significance for the teams involved. I recommend utilizing the Cricket Live Line app and website to stay updated with the latest developments and live cricket score. This comprehensive platform lets you access real-time updates, live scores, and other valuable information to enhance your cricket viewing experience. Don't miss out on any action – download the Cricket Live Line app or visit their website today!
