IPL 2022: DC enter top four, keep their playoff hopes alive with impressive win against PBKS

File image (Source: Twitter)

Delhi Capitals boosted their playoff hopes on Monday as they defeated Punjab Kings by 17 runs in their IPL 2022 match at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. With this win, Rishabh Pant-led DC have now reached the 4th spot on the Indian Premier League 2022 table with 14 points against their name. The 5th placed Royal Challengers Bangalore also have 14 points but their negative Net Run Rate (NRR) has cost them dearly.

Shardul Thakur took four wickets while Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bagged two each as Delhi bowlers restricted Punjab to 142/9 in their chase of 160 runs.

Earlier, Mitchell Marsh's blistering knock of 63 guided Delhi Capitals to a modest 159/7. Arshdeep Singh and Liam Livingstone bagged 3 wickets each for Punjab Kings.

TWO. MASSIVE. POINTS. IN. THE PLAYOFFS. RACE. #YehHaiNayiDilli | #IPL2022 | #PBKSvDC | #TATAIPL | #IPL | #DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/ApqwMCTTWo

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) May 16, 2022

Chasing 160, Punjab openers Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan enjoyed a good start as their score read 27/0 after three overs. But things quickly turned around for them as Anrich Nortje drew first blood for Delhi in form of dangerous-looking opener Bairstow (28) in the 4th over. The Englishman pulled but he didn't get the elevation and found Axar Patel at the deep square leg.

The last over of the powerplay wreaked havoc on PBKS top-order as Shradul Thakur struck twice to remove Bhanuka Rajapaksa and opener Shikhar Dhawan (19). Punjab's score read 54/3 after the first six overs.

Axar Patel piled more misery on Punjab in the 7th over as he removed skipper Mayank Agarwal. Mayank was looking for a late cut but he failed to get the bat on the ball and the stumps were rattled.

Finally delhi capitals in TOP four where they belong.

Well done Rishabh pant and company #IPL2022 #DCvPBKS pic.twitter.com/mcde7BvSTz

— Isha Negi (@IshaaNegi17) May 16, 2022

Kuldeep Yadav then joined the wicket-taking party in the next over as he removed Liam Livingstone before striking again in the 10th over. He rattled the stumps of Harpreet Brar for his second wicket of the match.

The 14th over produced more goods for DC as Axar uprooted the stumps of Rishi Dhawan. Jitesh Sharma was then joined by Rahul Chahar on the crease as the duo started clocking the runs for Punjab.

The pair stitched a 41-run partnership off 30 balls before Shradul dismissed Jitesh on 44 in the 18th over. Shradul took the wicket of Kagiso Rabada in the same over after getting hit for a six by the West Indian.

The last two overs saw the inevitable happen as Delhi won the match by 17 runs.

Shardul Thakur is adjudged Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling figures of 4/36 as @DelhiCapitals win by 17 runs.#TATAIPL #PBKSvDC pic.twitter.com/Ux0LuY24iC

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 16, 2022

Earlier, put to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a bad start as Liam Livingstone struck in the first delivery of the game for PBKS, removing David Warner for a golden duck.

Warner's wicket bought fellow Australian Mitchell Marsh to the crease and he smashed Kagiso Rabada for 15 runs in the second over of the innings.

Marsh and Sarfaraz Khan were in red-hot form and hammered PBKS bowlers all around the ground. But they could not stand for long as Arshdeep Singh removed the well-set opener for 32 runs leaving Delhi at 51-2.

This bought Lalit Yadav to the crease to join hands with Marsh. The duo thrashed Punjab bowlers and gave their team a solid score of 98 with two wickets loss.

In the 11th over of the innings, Yadav fell to Arshdeep's slow bouncer as his hit went for the catch. DC skipper Rishabh Pant then came to bat with Marsh but could stay for long as he was stumped by Jitesh Sharma.

Rovman Powell tried to anchor the innings for DC but was removed cheaply for two runs by Livingstone. DC seemed to be in a spot at this point but Marsh kept piling runs at one end pacing his innings with watchful stroke play. He brought up his half-century in 40 balls. The Australian all-rounder struck three fours against Arshdeep Singh in the 18th over of the match.

At last, partnership bloomed between Marsh and Axar Patel but scoring was slow. PBKS heaved a sigh of relief as Rabada removed Mitchell Marsh after he had scored 63 taking DC's total to 149/6 in 18.2 overs. Shardul Thakur then came to bat. In the last over of the innings, Arshdeep Singh restricted DC to 159/7 as he dismissed Thakur.

Brief score: Delhi Capitals 159/7 (Mitchell Marsh 63, Sarfaraz Khan 32; Liam Livingstone 3-27) vs Punjab Kings 142/9 (Jitesh Sharma 44, Jonny Bairstow 28; Shradul Thakur 4-36).