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 Abhishek Porel’s 10-ball 32 after they were reduced to 147/8. Sam 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.
Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone spoiled Rishabh Pant’s comeback as Punjab Kings started their IPL 2024 campaign with a four-wicket win at their new home ground in Mullanpur.
Pitch and Toss
The pitch is 75 meters down the ground at one end and 64 meters at another end. It is black soil and won’t turn much. There is a lot of breeze. It is more of a 8 and a half or 9 runs per over kind of a venue at a newly Mullanpur stadium.
Shikhar Dhawan of Punjab Kings won the toss and chose to field with Bairstow, Livingstone, Curran and Rabada as their foreign players and Prabhsimran Singh as Impact Sub Delhi Capitals Rishabh Pant marked his heroic return to cricket field after 500 days had Hope, Marsh, Warner, Stubbs to his services batting first on a pitch suitable for batting.
DC’s top order deliver good start as Warner, Marsh give Capitals a breezy 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.
With Prithvi Shaw left out, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh opened the innings for Capitals and gave them a fast start. Marsh got going by hitting two fours off the first two balls he faced, from Curran. Warner joined in by carting Arshdeep Singh for a six and a four in the next over.
Marsh then hit a six each off Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep. He fell for 20 off 12 when he drove Arshdeep to cover-point where Rahul Chahar took a sharp, overhead catch. Warner kept batting aggressively and even flick-scooped Rabada for a six as Capitals finished the powerplay on 54 for 1. In the seventh over, Shai Hope, on IPL debut, danced down the track and lofted Chahar for a straight six. It was all Capitals at that stage till Harshal Patel came to Kings’ rescue, having Warner caught behind with a slower bouncer.
Rishabh Pant’s first outing after the accident
Warner’s wicket brought Pant to the crease, and the Mullanpur crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation. Playing his first competitive game in 15 months, Pant looked a bit rusty. He was given a life on 4 when Harshal lost the ball in the sun at deep midwicket and ended up gifting a four.
As if to rub it in, Pant then drove Harshal for his second boundary. Two balls later, though, Harshal bowled a slower bouncer; Pant failed to spot it and ended up popping it to backward point. His first outing with bat on comeback ended on 18 off 13 balls.
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.
Impact player Abhishek Porel’s cameo propels Delhi Capitals to 174 for 9
Harpreet Brar and Chahar dented Capitals further. Brar had Ricky Bhui caught down the leg side, and Tristan Stubbs holed out to long-off while trying an inside-out shot against Chahar. When Axar Patel was run out coming back for a second, Capitals were reduced to 137 for 7 with 2.5 overs to go. But, coming in as the Impact Player, Porel slashed hard at a short and wide delivery from Harshal and picked up a boundary to deep third.
After 19 overs, Capitals were 149 for 8. With Harshal bowling the last over, Kings would have expected to restrict Capitals under 160. But that’s when Porel decided to have a say in matters, and smashed three fours and two sixes in a 25-run final over. That lifted Capitals to 174 for 9. At the start of the 20th over, ESPNCricinfo’s Forecaster had Capitals’ chances of winning at 38.9%. Porel singlehandedly lifted that number to 56.7%.
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.
Dhawan, Bairstow start with a flurry of fours
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.
But, in the sixth over, Prabhsimran tucked one towards midwicket, from where Ishant charged and fielded the ball. But as he was about to throw, he twisted his right ankle and had to be carried off the field.
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 as Kuldeep keeps Capitals in the game
In the tenth over, Prabhsimran tried to go big against Kuldeep and holed out to long-on for a 17-ball 26, which included five fours. In the spinner’s next over, Jitesh attempted a reverse sweep, but not only did he miss the ball, he also lost his balance and ended up out of his crease. Pant was alert behind the stumps and broke the wickets.
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 Sam Curran as Stubbs put down a low catch at long on.
Kuldeep finished with excellent figures of 2-21 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 Sam Curran and a six by Liam Livingstone as he conceded 18.
DC fight in the end but to no avail as Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone takes Punjab Kings to victory.
Kings needed 63 from the last six overs when Sam Curran and Livingstone clubbed Marsh for 18 to calm the nerves. Capitals still had hope when 28 were required from three overs. But with Ishant off the field, Pant had no option but to bowl Marsh again. He conceded another 18 to finish with 52 from his four wicketless overs. In the 19th over, Khaleel dismissed Curran and Shashank Singh off successive deliveries but it was too late by then. Warner dropping Brar on the last ball of the Khaleel over didn’t help either.
With just six required from the final over, Sumit Kumar, who was making his IPL debut, had little chance against a set Livingstone. He started with two wides, and after a dot, Livingstone launched him over deep midwicket to seal the win.
Sam 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 Sam Curran and Livingstone. Khaleel and DC, however, didn’t throw the towel, as the left-armer accounted for Sam 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.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Rishabh Pant on loosing captain 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,”
Shikhar Dhawan on the winning captain said :
“It feels great, I was happy to be on the ground. After the last IPL, I’m playing such a high competitive cricket, I was a bit nervous. [on the chat at the innings break] That time I did not chat with anyone as I was supposed to go for batting. The bowlers need their space, so we will chat tomorrow and learn and get better,”
“We leaked a few extra runs, of course first match of the season and nerves are there. I feel under lights the wicket got better and Sam played an amazing innings and Livi finished it off. I didn’t know much records here, it’s a new ground. Did not focus much. We practiced in the day and under lights as well. Wanted the other team to use their brains on how to go here,”
Sam Curran Player of the Match for his half century said :
“Really pleased. Amazing way to start the tournament on our new home ground, nothing better. They were, those two are world-class bowlers and played a lot of cricket for India but we knew if we could take it deep, we had a chance. To bat with my great mate Livi at the other end was special,”
“At that stage I had to take those risks and thankfully luck was on my side. The wicket got slightly better under lights, the ball was travelling and not much spin and pace was coming on. [on him bowling just one over] We have got some great options this season and nice additions, maybe in Bangalore it will be a different thing, most importantly we got the win,”
PBKS begin on a winning note. Contrary to expectations, the pitch did not slow down and played perfectly till the end. Dhawan and Bairstow started off with a flurry but they went in quick succession. Sam Curran at 4 and the impact player Prabhsimran shared a nice little stand for the third wicket. DC did not help themselves with dropped chances and it proved costly. Sam Curran was dropped on 33 and at the end Harpreet Brar by Warner.
Sam Curran went after his fifty and Khaleel introduced some excitement in the penultimate over with 2 wickets and a dropped catch but Livingstone finished it off. A measured chase this from PBKS who were helped by Ishant hobbling off. Ishant’s overs had to be covered up and Sumit Kumar was no match there. Also Mitch Marsh had a forgettable day with the ball.