Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Match 55 Match Summary

Crunch clash in Ahmedabad - Up next on Tuesday, 12th May, the Gujarat Titans will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Both teams are level on 14 points, with Sunrisers placed second because of a superior net run rate, while Titans sit third. The game will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but do join us early for all the build-up. See you then. Cheers!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - In his first game of the season, Madhav Tiwari wins the award for his all-round heroics. 2/40 with the ball and an unbeaten 18 off 8 in the chase. On getting the opportunity, Tiwari first credits the team management and feels lucky to have been on the winning side. On what keeps him sharp on the field, he puts it down to the hard work in practice sessions. He adds that he has worked a lot on his bowling and credits bowling coach Munaf Patel for that, while also adding that he has put in a lot of work on his range hitting, working with the batting coach. On whether he considers himself more a bowler or a batter, he confidently says that he is a 100 per cent batter and a 100 per cent bowler. On his bowling, Tiwari says the wicket was helping the length ball, and he tried to stick to it while mixing in wider balls and shorter ones. He adds he was prepared to bowl four overs, given the conditions were supporting the fast bowlers. Speaking about his batting, he says batting coach Ian Bell told him he has the power and everything he needs, and to just hold his shape and watch the ball, and not overhit it.

The captain of the Delhi Capitals - Axar Patel says that his team has let crucial moments slip through their fingers this season. He insists the side has played good cricket overall, but admits they have ended up on the wrong side in a couple of matches that could easily have gone either way. Axar believes that it is a long tournament and every day is not the same in the IPL. Hopes that they can put in good performances in the remaining games. Patel feels that they did well to pull things back after conceding nearly 60 runs in the first three overs. Believes the spells from Madhav Tiwari and Mukesh Kumar through the middle overs proved to be the turning point of the game. Axar also praises the batting effort after his dismissal, highlighting the contributions from David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav in helping DC complete the chase. The DC skipper mentions that the ball was swinging and seaming throughout the innings, but DC did not bowl in the right areas during the opening overs despite the assistance on offer, which is why he stayed away from spin. Axar says teams always need a backup plan and mentions that although he has been batting higher up the order regularly, things clicked for him tonight. He also admits luck played a part after being dropped earlier in the innings. Patel finishes by saying the kind of cricket Delhi are playing and the bench strength they possess shows the future of the franchise is in good hands. According to him, youngsters stepping up in pressure situations is one of the most encouraging signs for the team.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

PBKS fly before DC fight back - Uncertain about what the pitch had to offer, Axar Patel invited the Punjab Kings to bat first. PBKS raced to 51 in the first three overs with Priyansh Arya teeing off. One feared the worst for DC, but their pacers settled in on that back-of-a-length and got the ball to move around enough to test the batters. Usually, Cooper Connolly and Shreyas Iyer would look to take the attack straight to the bowlers, but both batters quickly realised this was not an easy surface to hit through the line on. They instead stitched together a valuable partnership to set the platform for a strong finish, though Punjab were unable to capitalise at the death. It was all pace from DC, who bowled all 20 overs through their seamers, while PBKS sent down 19 overs of pace themselves without a single over of spin.

Punjab lose grip under pressure - It was the stand between Axar and David Miller that truly dragged Delhi back into the contest and began to make Punjab nervous. Arshdeep Singh was the shining light for the home side, but after starting well, the rest of the attack struggled to execute under pressure in the dewy conditions. Miller could not see the chase through till the end, but the likes of Ashutosh Sharma, Madhav Tiwari, and eventually Auqib Nabi helped take DC over the line.

Axar anchored the recovery - In pursuit of 211, DC lost three wickets in the Powerplay. When a bowling side manages that early, they more often than not end up on the winning side, but that was not to be for Punjab on the night. Axar Patel led the recovery for Delhi and joined hands with Tristan Stubbs to stitch together an important partnership. The momentum was briefly halted with Stubbs falling to a run out at an inopportune moment.

A quick word with David Miller - On the chat with Axar during their partnership, Miller says they were behind in the game, but he is full of praise for his skipper. He says Axar has been working really hard, and while it has not quite gone his way, he came out tonight with great intent and showed the boys what it is all about. He details that Axar dug in deep and came out with good energy, and the way he played allowed him (Miller) to take a couple of balls to get going. He feels they complemented each other pretty well. On navigating the death overs, Miller says it is a difficult thing, but it is about staying calm. Adds that there is always a long journey, and it is about staying present. He says he keeps clearing his mind of all the noise around run rates, fielding positions and bowling changes, and just tries to think with clarity. On whether there was an extra incentive playing against his former side, Miller says there is always an incentive, but feels it is just the nature of league cricket, going from one team to another. Says that it was a great opportunity to do what he loves and try to finish games. He jokes that he felt like a garbage truck getting out there at the backend, but is glad to have contributed when it mattered. On the surface, Miller shares that there was something in the wicket, with the odd ball staying low, but generally felt it had good bounce, and the ball travelled well. He stresses that it was about keeping the shape and playing good cricket shots.

The captain of the Punjab Kings - Shreyas Iyer, when asked where things went wrong, is very blunt about it. He does not beat around the bush and admits that their fielding and bowling let them down yet again. Admits that they were 30 above par with the way the ball was seaming and adds that there was some variable bounce as well. On whether there was a thought of giving Chahal an over, he says the thought was absolutely there. He adds that with the ball seaming as much as it did for the seamers, had they executed their plans more precisely, they could have finished on the winning side. On the death bowling strategy, he says they stuck to bowling into the surface. He adds that he always backs the hard length, feeling it is difficult for a batter coming in to deal with, and there is always a chance of a mishit producing a wicket.

The Capitals get the job done - Delhi keep themselves alive in the playoff race, however slim the chances may be. A target of 200 or more had never been chased down in Dharamsala before this game, but DC have managed to script history and pull off a much-needed result to keep their campaign breathing. It is now a fourth successive defeat for the Punjab Kings, and they just cannot arrest the slide at a crucial juncture of the tournament. Their bowling and fielding let them down once again on the night.

SIX! TONKED DOWNTOWN! DC BEAT PBKS BY 3 WICKETS. A wonderful run-chase by the Delhi Capitals after losing three early wickets, and this is the highest successful run chase in Dharamsala in IPL history. Yash bowls a low full toss, on off. Auqib Nabi stands deep inside the crease and smokes it powerfully over long off for a six and finishes the game off in style for his team. The Capitals keep themselves very much alive in the season, and this is the fourth straight loss for the Punjab Kings.

NO BALL, FOUR! Oh, dear! That's a very poor delivery and that should be the game for DC as they are almost there. Glum faces in the Punjab Kings' dugout. Yash slips in a high full toss, above the waist height on the leg stump line. Auqib Nabi swivels and pulls it on the bounce to the deep backward square leg fence for a boundary. SCORES ARE LEVEL!

Ashutosh Sharma can't quite see DC home, but the finishing line is in sight. Auqib Nabi is the new man in. Mind you, he is no mug with the bat.

OUT! MISTIMED IN THE AIR AND CAUGHT! Is there another twist left in this game? Superb catch under pressure by the sub fielder, Praveen Dubey. Short and wide outside off, a well-directed bouncer hitting a good height. Ashutosh shuffles across the stumps, takes it on with the pull but doesn't quite get hold of it. Ends up top edging it to wide long on. Praveen Dubey covers a lot of ground to his right and pulls off a fantastic running catch. Delhi Capitals are 205/7, needing 6 runs from 7 balls.

SIX! DISAPPEARED! Short and wide outside off. Ashutosh Sharma has enough room to work with. Stands tall and carves it with an uppercut, clearing the deep third fence for six more. Just 6 runs needed off 8 balls.

At 137.2 kph, short of a length, on middle. Tiwari miscues the pull shot off the bottom end and it rolls to mid on for a single.

FOUR! That's very cleverly played! Overpitched delivery by Thakur. He misses the wide yorker by a few inches and Madhav Tiwari manages to get under it. Carves it to the left of the man at deep backward point and finds the fence on the bounce. 13 needed off 10 balls now.

Good, raw pace by Thakur! Slams the deck really hard, short and outside off. Madhav Tiwari moves outside off, and tries to whack it downtown with a flat batted angle, but misses to connect.

Yash Thakur (3-0-33-1) will bowl the 19th over. How much can he leave for the final over?

Nearly dragged on! On a length on leg. Madhav makes some room by stepping away and swings hard across the line, getting a thick inside edge that runs away past the leg stump to the fine leg region. Tiwari keeps the strike with a single.

SIX! Just enough bat on it! Into the slot, a real hit-me ball by Marcus, on middle and with pace taken off as well. Madhav creates room by getting the front leg out of the way and swings across the line. Suryansh Shedge at deep square leg leaps but the ball clears him and drops beyond the fence.

Oh, had to hurry there! At 126.6 kph, this is on a good length, outside off. Ashutosh Sharma punches it off the back foot to the cover region and sets off for a run. With no fielder there, Stoinis himself gets across and picks the ball. Throws it to the bowling end, but misses his shy and instead, the ball hits Ashutosh's leg, who scoots through.

SIX! So easily done! PBKS are back under pressure. Off pace delivery, short and on middle and leg. Ashutosh Sharma anticipates it and gets across in the crease before whipping it over the deep fine leg fence for a massive six.

FOUR! OH, WHAT A SHOT! Short by Stoinis, on top of off. Ashutosh Sharma stands tall and reads the length early. Swats it between long on and deep mid-wicket for a cracking boundary. 31 needed off 16 balls.

On a length, at a gentle pace, around off. Tiwari pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Marcus Stoinis is back. 2-0-25-1 so far for Stoinis.

A big swing and a miss! Ben Dwarshuis goes full, around off. Ashutosh Sharma dances down the track and swings to go down the ground, but connects with thin air. DC need 36 runs from 18 balls.

Length ball, on the stumps, worked across to the square leg region for a single.

FOUR! Incredible shot! Hard length, angled across. Madhav arches back and cuts it to the left of backward point for a boundary. The deep third fielder stands no chance to cut that off in the deep.

David Miller slams his bat onto the pads as he trudges off. Out walks Madhav Tiwari, who impressed with the ball earlier in the game. Can he now produce something special with the bat and take the Capitals over the line?