Curran half-century gets PBKS off the mark

Sam Curran became the first half-centurion of IPL 2024 as Punjab Kings started their IPL 2024 campaign with a four-wicket victory against Delhi Capitals at the new stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. Delhi Capitals posted a total of 174/9 and were able to reach there only because of impact substitute Abishek Porel's 10-ball 32 after they were reduced to 147/8. Curran then led the chase with his 47-ball 63 and was involved in a 67-run stand with Liam Livingstone as the Kings reached the target with four deliveries to spare.

Positive start amidst wickets

Four boundaries came off the opening over of the chase - two each for Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow - off Khaleel Ahmed. Dhawan continued to deal in fours but the avenue Capitals were hoping for came in the fourth over. Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma accounted for Dhawan, who was bowled trying to play across the line. Kings' impact sub Prabhsimran Singh hit two fours in the same over, one off an edge, but Ishant got his fingertips to a ball on his follow through to run Bairstow out at the non-striker's end.

Prabhsimran and Curran ensured a good finish to the powerplay as the Kings moved to 60/2. They also made steady progress against spin, not troubled much by Axar or Kuldeep, but the latter brought about the downfall of Prabhsimran with a wrong'un as the batter couldn't clear long on. Kings' score at the halfway stage was 87/3, one run more than the Capitals and also one wicket more.

PBKS stay on track in the chase

Jitesh Sharma survived a stumping appeal in the 11th over bowled by Sumit Kumar, who also gave away two fours. In the next over, though, Pant's agile glovework resulted in Jitesh getting out stumped off Kuldeep. The wrist spinner, who was Capitals' best bet to get another wicket, completed his fourth over in the 14th and was unfortunate not to pick up the wicket of Curran as Stubbs put down a low catch at long on. Kuldeep finished with excellent figures of 2-20 but the Capitals needed to fill in Ishant's quota with the bowler picking up an injury after bowling two overs early in the innings. Marsh was given his third over and he ended up being hit for two fours by Curran and a six by Liam Livingstone as he conceded 18.

DC fight in the end but to no avail

Curran reached fifty in the 16th over and the Kings batters saw off Axar who finished with 0 for 25. They needed 39 off 24 and held the upper hand considering the short-handed pace attack and it became 28 off 18 with Livingstone getting two fours off Khaleel. By the time Marsh finished bowling the 18th over, it was one-way traffic as he ended up conceding 18, including a six apiece for Curran and Livingstone. Khaleel and DC, however, didn't throw the towel, as the left-armer accounted for Curran and Shashank Singh off successive deliveries. He could have also dismissed Harpreet Brar but for a dropped catch from Warner. But with Sumit having to bowl the final over and with only six needed to win, the result was a no-brainer, with Livingstone finishing it off with a six.

First innings...

DC's top order deliver good start

On a black soil pitch which didn't offer much for the bowlers, the room for error was very limited. Punjab Kings realised that straightaway as Mitchell Marsh took full toll of deliveries bowled on his pads by Sam Curran, putting them away for a couple of boundaries. And the allowances for two short deliveries per over also didn't help the Kings much, with David Warner and Marsh putting them away easily for sixes. Even though Marsh fell to Arshdeep Singh, Warner continued to tee away, even scooping a Rabada delivery for a six, as the Capitals reached 54/1 at the end of the powerplay. Shai Hope took charge against spin, targeting Rahul Chahar in particular. Warner fell to a slow and short delivery from Harshal Patel but the Capitals still made good progress, getting to 86/2 at the halfway stage.

PBKS peg away with regular strikes

The departure of Warner in the eighth over got Rishabh Pant to the crease, with the wicketkeeper-batter returning to active cricket for the first time in 450 days since the near-fatal accident in December 2022. The Capitals skipper had some relaying work to do, with Hope falling to a slower delivery from Rabada. Pant also got a reprieve as Harshal didn't pick the ball properly after the batter played a pull. But it wasn't a costly miss as Harshal, after being cover-driven for a four by Pant, accounted for the Capitals skipper who fell in his attempt to ramp a short ball that lacked pace. The Kings used the DRS to send Ricky Bhui back in the 14th over which left the Capitals at 111/5.

Abishek makes an impact

The onus was on the pair of Tristan Stubbs and Axar Patel to lead the Capitals towards a competitive score. But Stubbs's outing lasted only eight deliveries as he fell trying to play an inside out drive off Rahul Chahar. A direct hit from substitute fielder Tanay Thyagarajan found Axar short of the crease going for a quick second as the Capitals slipped to 138/7 in the 18th over. The Capitals had to use Porel's services and the left-hander responded with a terrific finish to the innings. Having struck a four off Harshal in the 18th over, he clobbered the same bowler for two sixes and two fours in the final over to help the Capitals past 170, although the lack of bowling resources for the Capitals proved decisive in the end.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 174/9 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 33, Abishek Porel 32*; Arshdeep Singh 2-28) lost to Punjab Kings 177/6 in 19.2 overs (Sam Curran 63, Liam Livingstone 38*; Kuldeep Yadav 2-20) by 4 wickets.

Where next?

The Capitals have a four day break before taking on Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on March 28. The Kings have a shorter turnaround as they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 25.