Punjab punish Delhi on Pant’s return
|| CF DESK ||
Punjab Kings started IPL on a winning note as they beat Delhi Capitals by four wickets. Abishek Porel's timely knock gave the Delhi Capitals a competitive total of 174/9 in their allotted 20 overs against the Punjab Kings during their encounter on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, Delhi Capitals made a promising start but faced frequent setbacks with wickets falling at regular intervals. However, Porel's blistering unbeaten 32 off just 10 deliveries provided the much-needed impetus, steering DC to a respectable total.
Shai Hope contributed with a solid 33, complemented by Mitchell Marsh and David Warner, who scored 20 and 29 runs respectively.
In reply, the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow launched their innings with a flurry of boundaries but were dismissed in quick succession.
Subsequently, Sam Curran and the impact player Prabhsimran Singh built a valuable partnership for the third wicket, stabilizing the innings.
DC's fielding lapses, marked by dropped catches, proved costly. Curran, fortunate to survive a dropped chance on 33, capitalized on the opportunity to push towards his fifty.
In the penultimate over, Khaleel injected excitement into the match with two crucial wickets and a missed opportunity, but Liam Livingstone ultimately sealed the victory for Punjab Kings.
