Image Credit- BCCI
At their new home
field in Mullanpur, Punjab Kings began their IPL 2024 campaign with a
four-wicket victory over Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone, spoiling Rishabh
Pant’s comeback attempt.
The Delhi Capitals chose to insert Abishek Porel as the Impact Player in the
18th over, after being sent in at 137 for 7. Porel helped them reach 174 for 9
after smashing 32 off just ten balls.
However, it also meant that during the chase, the Capitals would have few
bowlers. They were further set behind by Ishant Sharma’s injury, as he injured
his ankle in just two overs of bowling.
The Kings’ chase was off to a good start with Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny
Bairstow, but both fell in the fourth over. Jitesh Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh
were then dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav to keep Capitals in the game.
After that, though,
Curran and Livingstone took control, adding 67 runs in 42 balls for the fifth
wicket. Livingstone stayed to the very end, hitting a powerful six with four
balls remaining in the game after Curran was removed in the 19th over after scoring
63 off 47.
The Capitals got off
to a quick start when David Warner and Mitchell Marsh opened the inning in
place of Prithvi Shaw. Marsh started off quickly, smashing two fours off of
Curran’s first two balls that he faced. In the next over, Warner got involved
and hit Arshdeep Singh for a six and a four.
Marsh then struck sixes off Arshdeep and Kagiso Rabada, respectively. After
driving Arshdeep to cover-point, where Rahul Chahar made an accurate overhead
grab, he fell for 20 off 12.
As the Capitals concluded the powerplay at 54 for 1, Warner continued to bat
aggressively and even flick-scooped Rabada for a six. Up until Harshal Patel
saved the Kings by bringing Warner in behind with a lower bouncer, it was all
Capitals.
Pant came to the
crease after Warner was dismissed, and the Mullanpur crowd gave him a standing
ovation. Pant appeared a little rusty in his first competitive game in fifteen
months. When Harshal misplaced the ball in the sun at deep midwicket and ended up
giving a four, he was awarded a life on four.
Pant then drove Harshal for his second boundary, as if to make a point. But
Harshal threw a slower bouncer two balls later, which Pant missed and ended up
bouncing to backward point. On a return, he finished his first batting
appearance with 18 off 13 balls.
With 2.5 overs
remaining and Axar Patel out for a second run, the Capitals were down to 137
for 7. However, Porel, who entered as the Impact Player, struck hard at a
wide-and-short delivery from Harshal and managed to pick up a boundary to deep
third.
The Capitals were 149 for 8 after 19 overs. As Harshal bowled the final over,
Kings anticipated keeping Capitals below 160. However, at that point, Porel
made the decision to speak up and blasted three fours and two sixes in the
final over, which was worth 25 runs.
Similar to the
Capitals’ openers, Dhawan and Bairstow got off to a good start. They scored 34
runs and smashed a total of six fours in the first three overs. But the fourth
over saw both fall. As Dhawan lunged towards Ishant, he was bowled, and at the
other end of the non-striker’s end, Bairstow was run out as a drive from
Prabhsimran smacked into the stumps, brushing a diving Ishant’s fingers.
However, Prabhsimran tucked one towards midwicket in the sixth over, and Ishant
charged and fielded it. However, he had to be helped off the pitch after
twisting his right ankle just as he was ready to throw.
After Curran and
Livingstone hit Marsh for eighteen runs in the final six overs, Kings just
needed sixty-three to settle their jitters.
The Capitals were still in the hunt when they needed 28 runs in three overs.
But Pant was forced to bowl Marsh again as Ishant left the field. After giving
up another 18, he finished with 52 from his four overs without a wicket.
Sumit Kumar, making his IPL debut, stood little chance against a set
Livingstone with just six needed from the final over. After two wides to begin,
Livingstone hit him over deep midwicket to complete the victory.