This was the first IPL match played in Dharamsala this year, which is PBKS’s home ground for the remaining matches. After winning the toss and deciding to bowl, the Punjab team did not start well.
The two openers of the Capitals together scored 61 runs in the first 6 overs. This pitch looked perfectly suitable for batting. In the 10th over, Sam Curran took the wicket of Delhi captain David Warner and was dismissed for 46 off 31 balls.
After that, Rilee Roussow, who came out to bat, turned the game around. He scored 82 runs in 37 balls, which included 6 fours and 6 sixes. He was well supported by Prithvi Shaw, who was returning to the team after 6 matches and scored 54 runs in 37 balls.
Sam Curran was the only successful bowler for Punjab who took two wickets. Roussow and Phil Salt added 65 runs in the last 5 overs, which proved to be decisive in the end. Salt scored 26 runs in 14 balls to give Delhi’s innings a good finish.
Punjab Kings got off to a disappointing start. Chasing 214 runs, The Punjab team could not score a single run in the first over and Ishant Sharma undid PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan without opening an account on the first ball of the second over.
However, Prabhsimran and Atharva Tawde together scored 48 runs in 6 overs. PrabhSimran was dismissed by Akshar Patel for 22 runs, after which Punjab started their comeback in the match from here.
Tawde scored 55 off 42 balls but was retired hurt and replaced by Jitesh Sharma, who was dismissed for zero. But Liam Livingstone batted brilliantly, he completed his half-century in 30 balls.
Punjab needed 90 runs in the last 5 overs to win, which is quite high. Due to Livingston’s explosive batting, this question came to 38 runs off 12 balls.
But Anrich Nortje put an excellent 19th over and shattered Punjab’s dream of victory. Only 5 runs came in this over and Sam Karan’s wicket also came. Ishant Sharma came to bowl the final over but Punjab needed 33 runs, which was a bit too much.
Despite Liam Livingstone’s best efforts, Punjab lost the match by 15 runs, which means that Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad were already out of the IPL qualifier race.