Stand-in-captain Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 99 gave Punjab Kings some hope on the midway stage. However, his seventh half-century for the franchise went in useless after one more glorious knock from Shikhar Dhawan — a glowing 47-ball 69 — that helped Delhi ace the 167-run chase with 14 deliveries to spare and climb to the highest of the factors desk.
Dhawan anchors Delhi’s chase
After a thunderous match-winning essay — a 49-ball 92 — towards Punjab Kings a fortnight in the past, Dhawan had supplied a peek into his mindset and the adjustments he has led to in his recreation. “It was a conscious effort from my side to improve my strike rate. Started taking more risks. Not afraid of changes, always open towards it. Not scared of getting out as well. Have worked on a few shots. My slog shot has improved a lot. It was there earlier as well, but now I play it more freely. I’m more relaxed now,” the left-hander had stated.
Two weeks later, towards the identical opponents, Dhawan anchored one other perfectly-timed run-chase for Delhi Capitals with a luxurious knock. Prithvi Shaw’s pyrotechnics could have propelled them to 63/0 within the Powerplay. But with 56 wanted off seven overs, it was Dhawan’s aggressive method that gave the scoreboard the required impetus. The opener focused leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi particularly, pummelling him for 2 sixes and a boundary over the mid-wicket fence.
All Over: @DelhiCapitals beat #PBKS by 7 wickets and with 14 balls to spare to register their 2nd consecutive win. Opener @SDhawan25 finishes unbeaten on 69. #DC have misplaced only one of their final 5 video games. https://t.co/Rm0jfZKXXT #PBKSvDC #VIVOIPL #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/apKB5wS3X7
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 2, 2021
Stand-in captain bails Punjab out of bother
With 161 runs from six video games, Agarwal had been subdued in IPL 2021 thus far. Coming into Sunday’s match, the extra accountability of main Punjab Kings within the absence of standard skipper KL Rahul, out with acute appendicitis, would have solely amplified the stress. The begin was removed from very best, with opener Prabhsimran Singh and Chris Gayle departing contained in the Powerplay. It was a monumental wrestle for Dawid Malan on his IPL debut, because the No.4 batsman didn’t rotate strike and penetrate the infield, because the top-ranked T20I batsman does for England. This robbed the stand-in-captain of the strike. Nevertheless, the duo stitched a 52-run third-wicket alliance. Malan’s exit to Axar Patel for 26, and Deepak Hooda’s run-out two deliveries later, pegged Punjab again. At 90/4 in 14 overs, a rating of 150 appeared a distant dream.
But on the opportune second, Agarwal stepped up. Having meandered to a 32-ball 37 until then, he determined to take cost. The 30-year-old kick-started his assault with a fearsome pull off Kagiso Rabada, and adopted it up with a boundary and a six towards Ishant Sharma within the subsequent over. Agarwal introduced up his half-century off 37 deliveries. In the interim, he survived a reprieve, dropped by Lalit Yadav at backward level. The opener continued in his merry methods, drilling three fours and a six within the closing over towards Avesh Khan to complete unbeaten on a 58-ball 99, his belligerent stroke-play vaulting Punjab to 166/6. Delhi’s pacers have been responsible of pitching it within the slot, which allowed Agarwal to remain low and loft the ball into the stands with ease.
