Highlights:
- Punjab Kings post a target of 196 for DC in IPL 2021 match 11
- Shikhar Dhawan’s explosive innings of 92 from 49 propel Delhi Capitals for a comfortable win
- Mayank Agarwal’s impressive knock of 69 from 36 was inadequate for him to gift his childhood friend a win on his birthday
- Delhi Capitals chased down 196 to beat Punjab Kings by six wickets
An explosive inning coming from Shikhar Dhawan’s bat as he scored 92 from just 49 balls helped Delhi Capitals propel to victory comfortably as they chased down a 196 run target set by Punjab Kings in the 11th match of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
The Indian opener, Dhawan, looked in sublime form during his 49-ball knock which was studded with 13 boundaries ad well as 2 maximums. Dhawan was equally supported by Prithvi Shaw who hit 32 from 15 balls and later was assisted by skipper Rishabh Pant who scored 15. Marcus Stoinis scored an unbeaten 27 from 13 balls as DC chased down 196 in 18.2 overs.
From Punjab Kings, put in to bat, Mayank Agarwal and captain K L Rahul stitched a century-run opening partnership to guide Punjab to a challenging 195 for a loss of four wickets after 20 overs.
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Agarwal scored 69 off 36 balls, while the PBKS skipper scored 61 off 51 deliveries as Punjab made a flying start to their innings.
Chasing 196, Dhawan and Shaw did not waste any ball and stitched a 59 runs partnership in just 33 balls for the opening wicket.
Shaw continued his form and smashed 32 runs from 17 deliveries before he was sent back by Arshdeep Singh and caught by Chris Gayle.
Steve Smith who played his first match for DC, could not perform up to the expectations as he became Riley Meredith’s first victim of the day after scoring just 9 runs.
However, his wickets was hardly a scratch on Dhawan’s performance who continued his attacking strokeplay to bring up his fifty off 31 balls.
Needing 71 from 7 overs, Delhi Capitals struck gold as they picked 18 runs off the 14th over.
Meredith was taken was a toll by Dhawan who hit a hat-trick of fours, besides the bowler gave away another boundary off a wide ball as DC brought down the margin to 53 from 6 overs.
However, PBKS soon were able to send Dhawan back to the dug-out just eight runs short of a brilliant century when he was cleaned up by Jhye Richardson (2/41) in the 16th over, but it was a little too late as the damage was already done.
At the toss, Pant decided to bowl after winning the toss which seemed like had backfired on the skipper as the opening duo of PBKS, Agarwal and Rahul, took the bowling attack of DC from the onset, hitting boundaries and sixes at will.
While Agarwal was the aggressor of the two initially, Rahul upped his game after a relatively slower start.
The opening duo of Punjab Kings, Agarwal and Rahul, adopted an aggressive approach against debutant Lukman Meriwala as well as experienced and one of the best bowler of the world Kagiso Rabada, taking their team to 94 for no loss in 10 overs.
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Agarwal was looking dangerous during his 36-ball knock and ended up hitting seven boundaries and four maximums.
However, the weight soon shifted to DC as both the batsmen were sent back to the dressing room in quick succession to make a comeback into the match.
Agarwal was the first to depart, slicing a Meriwala delivery straight to Shikhar Dhawan at sweeper cover in the 13th over, Rahul handed a simple catch to Marcus Stonis at midwicket off Rabada in the 16th over.
Rahul’s knock was laced with seven boundaries and two sixes.
The Jamaican big-hitter Chris Gaylefailed to make a mark as he was sent back as well with just 11 runs to his name.
Nicholas Pooran (9) failed yet again, however, Deepak Hooda’s unbeaten 22 of 13 along with Shahrukh Khan’s 15 from 5 deliveries unbeaten provided the much needed big hits towards the end.
For DC, Ravichandran Ashwin (0/28) was economical, while Avesh Khan (1/33), Meriwala (1/32), Chris Woakes (1/42) and Rabada (1/43) picked up a wicket each.
Even after an explosive performance from Mayank Agarwal, he could not gift the match to his childhood friend K L Rahul on his birthday.