IPL 2023: 64th Match OD vs PK: May 17, 2023

In a dazzling display of boundary hitting all around the ground, Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 82 off 37 deliveries led Delhi Capitals to a 15-run victory over Punjab Kings, severely denting their playoff chances. While Liam Livingstone fought a lone battle with his belligerent 94 off 48, it wasn’t enough for Kings to secure the win. This loss keeps them in the eighth spot with 12 points, and they now rely on other results to stay alive in the playoffs race as they have only one match remaining. From the start, Kings struggled to keep up with the required run rate. Atharva Taide, the only other batter to score over 25, retired out on 55 off 42 balls but struggled to find fluency. Livingstone’s aggressive approach towards the end kept Kings’ hopes alive, whether they needed 79 off 24 or 38 off 12. Even in the last over, with just three balls remaining and a requirement of 23 runs, Punjab Kings were given a glimmer of hope when Ishant Sharma bowled a no-ball. However, Liam Livingstone couldn’t take advantage of the following full toss and was caught at long-off on the final delivery.

In the first Indian Premier League (IPL) match held in Dharamsala after a decade, David Warner and Prithvi Shaw faced difficulty in finding boundaries during the first 16 deliveries. However, they soon gained momentum. Warner managed to break free by hitting back-to-back fours off Sam Curran, followed by two impressive sixes off Kagiso Rabada. Shaw capitalized on Arshdeep Singh’s lack of pace, hitting him for four, four, and six in an over that yielded 16 runs. Warner continued his attacking display, but eventually skied a catch to Shikhar Dhawan at mid-off, departing for 46 off 31 balls.

Rossouw, sent in at No. 3 by Capitals, attacked from the beginning, hitting his first ball for four and his third ball for another boundary. He showcased his range in the 13th over against Rabada, hitting a straight six off a length ball, placing another length ball wide of short third for four, and dispatching yet another length ball over square leg for six, accumulating 17 runs. Rossouw punished Rahul Chahar and Curran as well, hitting sixes off their deliveries, while Shaw departed for 54 in the 15th over. With Rossouw scoring at a rapid pace, Capitals reached 148 with five overs remaining. Harpreet Brar bowled an excellent 16th and 18th over for Kings, conceding only 14 runs. However, Phil Salt and Rossouw made up for it in the last two overs. Salt hit two sixes off Nathan Ellis, and Rossouw muscled Brar for two sixes and a four in the final over. A misfield from Rabada on the last ball allowed Capitals to surpass 200, their highest total of the season.

Capitals’ quick bowlers, led by Khaleel Ahmed and Ishant Sharma, made it difficult for Kings to score freely early on. Khaleel began with a maiden over to Prabhsimran Singh, Ishant dismissed Dhawan for a duck, and Khaleel almost bowled another maiden over, leaving Kings struggling at 10 for 1 after three overs. Prabhsimran then hit three consecutive boundaries, and Taide followed suit to dig Kings out of trouble. Both batsmen had their fair share of luck, surviving close calls and missed run-out opportunities. Taide’s edges even resulted in boundaries. Kings reached 47 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, with the required run rate hovering around 12 an over.

After Prabhsimran’s dismissal, Livingstone took charge of the innings. Despite getting a lifeline early on when he was dropped, he capitalized on the bowlers’ errors by unleashing powerful shots down the ground. Livingstone consistently found boundaries, except for a couple of occasions when Kuldeep Yadav managed to beat him. In the 15th over, Livingstone punished Mukesh Kumar for two consecutive fours off full toss deliveries. However, Taide struggled to score freely and eventually retired out with Kings needing a challenging 86 runs from 30 balls, with Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, and Sam Curran still to come.

Although Kings had firepower in their batting lineup, the responsibility of chasing the target fell heavily on Livingstone’s shoulders. Jitesh Sharma departed for a duck in the 16th over, and Shahrukh Khan found the long-on fielder in the 17th over. Meanwhile, Livingstone continued his assault on the bowlers, hitting two sixes and a four off Khaleel Ahmed and three sixes off Mukesh Kumar in the 18th over, bringing the required runs down to 38 from 12 balls. Anrich Nortje bowled a brilliant yorker to disturb Curran’s leg stump, leaving Kings with an uphill battle and requiring 33 runs from the last six balls. Ishant Sharma began the final over with a dot ball, almost sealing the victory for Delhi Capitals. Although Ishant’s no-ball was dispatched for a six, he redeemed himself by bowling three consecutive dot balls, dashing Kings’ hopes of a miraculous win.

In the end, Delhi Capitals emerged victorious, while Punjab Kings suffered a significant blow to their playoff aspirations. The match showcased remarkable performances from Rilee Rossouw and Liam Livingstone, but the collective effort of the Delhi Capitals’ top order proved too much for Kings to overcome.