Kings XI Punjab (181/5 in 20) d. Delhi Daredevils (172/5 in 20) by 9 runs
The hearts of the management of Kings XI Punjab would have been gladdened to see that they had correctly worked on the main area of concern before the start of the ninth season of the Indian Premier League.
Having invested heavily in the purchase of Mohit Sharma for his experience in the death bowling, the bowler repaid the faith to apply the brakes on Delhi Daredevils just when Punjab needed it the most as the hosts won by nine runs.
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Punjab posted a challenging total of 181 for five with Marcus Stoinis and Wriddhiman Saha scoring 52 runs each to form the foundation of their innings despite wickets at regular intervals.
In reply Delhi, at 132 for two and needing 50 from their last six overs, were in a good position to scale down the target. Openers Quinton de Kock (52) and Sanju Samson (49) had departed after doing the hard grind.
All-rounder Stoinis was not done, though, as he was responsible for seeing off the two openers and Sam Billings who followed later. Stoinis was expensive though as he finished off his spell with three wickets.
Delhi still had the dangerous Carlos Brathwaite and Chris Morris but the miserly Mohit stifled them well as the Daredevils fell short.
“I can’t ask for more because they gave it everything,” Punjab captain Murali Vijay said. “We badly wanted this win. There was the dew factor, but amazing bowling from the bowlers.”
Losing captain Zaheer Khan put his team’s struggles to “good death-bowling” and reverse swing. “180 was just about par and I thought we had it under control.
“We had a perfect start, but it was one of those days where we did not cross the line,” Zaheer said in the post-match briefing.
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