IPL 2024: Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, 2nd Match – Who said what

Shikhar Dhawan and his Punjab Kings side laid down the marker as they began their IPL 2024 campaign with a win. Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant saw his return to cricket end in a miserable defeat on Saturday. Sam Curran was the hero for the home side as the English all-rounder struck his career-best score of 63.

The decision to bowl first worked well for Punjab Kings as they restricted Delhi Capitals to 174 for 9. Shai Hope was the top scorer for Delhi Capitals on his IPL Debut with 33 runs. The final impetus to the innings was given by Abhishek Porel who smashed 32 runs from 10 balls.

Khaleel Ahmed tried his best to bring his team back into the contest in the dying embers of the game. The left-arm pacer picked two successive wickets to bring life back into the contest. David Warner dropped a crucial catch of Harpreet Brar before Liam Livingstone ended the contest with a six.

1. Punjab bowlers restrict Delhi Capitals to 174

It was a good toss to win on a hot day in Chandigarh as Shikhar Dhawan saw his bowlers rise to the fore. Arshdeep Singh got the key wicket of Mitchell Marsh who had scored 20 off just 12 balls. David Warner was dismissed by Harshal Patel for 29 at a crucial stage in the game.

West Indian star Shai Hope marked his IPL debut with 33 runs from 25 balls before Delhi lost their way. From 94/2, Delhi Capitals lost 6 wickets for 53 runs before Abishek Porel came to the crease. The young batter hit 32 not out off 10 balls to help his side reach 174 on the board. 

Also check: Who is Abishek Porel? - Everything You Need to Know About Delhi Capitals' Impact Player

2. Kuldeep Yadav keeps Punjab Kings under check

Needing 175 to win, Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow took the Delhi bowlers to the cleaners. Veteran Ishant Sharma then bowled Dhawan for 22 before running out Bairstow for 9. The 35-year-old went off the field after injuring his ankle during his bowling stint.

Kuldeep Yadav got the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh for 26 and Jitesh Sharma for 9. This gave Rishabh Pant some hope as the home team were still 75 runs behind with 51 balls left to play. The left-arm wrist spinner ended the day with 2/20 from his 4 overs to cap off a brilliant day.

3. English delight for Punjab Kings 

Young Sam Curran was joined by Liam Livingstone as the pair added 67 runs for the 5^th wicket in just 7 overs. None of the bowlers were spared as the boundaries kept coming at regular intervals. Sam Curran scored his 3^rd IPL fifty before falling for 63 bowled by Khaleel Ahmed. Liam Livingstone was not out on 38 and ended the contest with a six of Sumit Kumar to give Punjab a great start to the season.

Here’s what losing skipper Rishabh Pant said:

I think Ishant's injury was clearly evident in the field, we were already one bowler short because of our batting, Abhishek Porel did well to give us those extra runs, but we were always one bowler short. The boys did well to drag us back into the match at various stages. Was pretty nervous (on his comeback), there was a bit of tension, but I started to enjoy myself. No excuses, having a bowler short was never good, but credit to PKBS for the way they played. He's pretty new (on Porel), 3rd or 4th game (for him), the way he batted was very special, looking forward to more from him as the season moves forward. 

Here’s what winning captain Shikhar Dhawan said: 

Feels great, happy to be on the ground. I've been preparing for this tournament, this is the first time I'm playing at this high a level since the last IPL. I was a bit nervous as well but yeah, came through. No chat in the innings break after the 25-run over because I was preparing to bat. Also, bowlers will be going through their own emotions. So I would rather give them space and chat after things calm down. I felt we leaked a few extra runs, of course extra nerves are there in the first match. It's normal. Felt the wicket got better under lights, we got a good start and Sam played an amazing innings. Livingstone finished it nicely. [Decision to bowl first] I didn't know the records here, it's a new ground. So didn't focus on it too much, we practiced during day and at night. Thought we'd let the other team use their brains first and then we'll assess it. It worked for us, so we're happy and content.