Hours before the match in Mumbai on Wednesday, there was uncertainty over the fate of the IPL 2022 fixture.
New Zealand's Tim Seifert had become the sixth member of the Delhi Capitals contingent to test positive for Covid-19. He joined Mitchell Marsh and four support staff members in contracting the virus, with fears of another outbreak inside a team bubble bringing back memories of last year when the tournament was held and then suspended amid a surge of cases.
However on Wednesday, the match between Delhi and Punjab Kings went ahead at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium. And despite the uncertainty and lack of proper preparation, Delhi crushed Punjab by nine wickets and almost 10 overs to spare.
The Delhi players have been taking Covid tests every day since physiotherapist Patrick Farhart tested positive last week and Marsh was admitted to hospital on Monday.
Captain Rishabh Pant said the positive cases were unfortunate and had affected their build-up.
"There was a lot of confusion, because we learnt of the positive test in the morning. We were a bit nervous and there were talks of the game getting cancelled. But we spoke as a team that we must purely focus on the match," Pant said after the match.
Before the contest, coach Ricky Ponting tried to look for positives, saying: "Things have been a bit interrupted with Mitchell Marsh being down with Covid and our session yesterday was pushed back.
"With games like these and tournaments like these, you need the leaders [in the team] to stand up. So far in the tournament, [David] Warner's leadership has been great, Rishabh has been good."
Ponting's words proved prophetic. Australia opener Warner smashed an unbeaten 60 to help chase down Punjab's total of 115 in 10.3 overs.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel stood out with figures of 2-10 as he took the key wickets of Liam Livingstone, stumped for two, and Punjab top-scorer Jitesh Sharma, lbw for 32.
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and pacer Khaleel Ahmed also took two wickets each in an all-round display.
Delhi openers Prithvi Shaw, who hit a 20-ball 41, and Warner smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground in an opening stand of 83 in just 39 deliveries.
The left-handed Warner went on to register his third successive half-century and his 53rd in the tournament. He hit 10 fours and one six in his 30-ball knock.
Delhi improved their net run-rate at the venue which was changed from the original Pune stadium due to the Covid outbreak.
