IPL 9, Match 36 DD v KXIP Review: KXIP hand DD their second defeat

The Delhi Daredevils had their task cut out when they met the Kings XI Punjab at Mohali. For them it was clear, win the match and go to the top of the points table. On the other hand, the Punjab were on the fringes of being completely out of the race for the playoffs if they failed to win this home encounter.

Sparkling knocks from Marcus Stoinis and Wriddhiman Saha saw KXIP put up a decent total on the board. The Delhi Daredevils, with their openers at the crease, seemed to be cruising easily until the KXIP bowlers pulled the game back. Some excellent death bowling by Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma saw Kings XI register their 3rd win of the season.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Daredevils skipper Zaheer Khan, who made a comeback in this match, won the toss and asked the Kings XI Punjab to bat first. Hashim Amla was the key attraction, as he made the debut for the Kings. Surprisingly though, Amla wasn’t sent as the opener.

Murali Vijay and Marcus Stoinis opened the innings and batted with caution in the first couple of overs. The duo then decided to free their arms to maximize the benefits of the field restriction. The trick worked but not for long. Unluckily for the Kings, skipper Vijay was dismissed by Chris Morris in the last over of the powerplay on 25 (16) with four boundaries. In walked the much awaited South African, Hashim Amla. His stay was cut short as he was unlucky to have been run out on 1 after staying at the crease for just 5 balls.

Wriddhiman Saha was promoted ahead of Maxwell and he put on 58 runs for the 3^rd wicket with Marcus Stoinis. In the process, Stoinis brought up his maiden IPL half century but couldn’t convert it to a bigger one. He was dismissed on 52 off 44 balls by Zaheer Khan. Glenn Maxwell showed some class when he clubbed one for a maximum but was dismissed soon after as he was cleaned up by Morris. Saha brought up his half century and played the aggressor role. Saha was dismissed in the penultimate over by Mohammad Shami on 52. His knock came in just 33 balls and was studded with 7 boundaries. Axar Patel yet again proved that he doesn’t need sighters. He came in and hit two maximums out of the park during his unbeaten cameo of 16 (5) that took the Kings XI Punjab to 181/5 in their 20 overs. David Miller remained not out on 11 from 6.

The Delhi Daredevils are turning out to be one team to beat in the competition. The openers Sanju Samson and Quinton de Kock took the attack right from the starting of the innings. While Samson played the second fiddle, de Kock was bludgeoning bowlers at the other end. By the end of the powerplay, they had 51 runs on the board.

The partnership continued till the 8^th over when de Kock was dismissed by Marcus Stoinis. De Kock had just brought up his half century and was dismissed on 52 off 30 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes. The opening stand was worth 70 in 47 balls. Karun Nair joined Samson at the crease. The two Indian batsmen then put up another 50 run stand in the 14th over. Sanju Samson was looking good and settled but was dismissed on 49(35) to give Marcus Stoinis his second wicket. Karun Nair, on the other hand, was playing an uncharacteristically slower inning. He was dismissed by KC Cariappa as David Miller caught him while running in from the long on. He could score 23 off 25 balls with just one boundary.

All of a sudden, the Delhi Daredevils had two new batsmen at the crease, Carlos Brathwaite, and Sam Billings. Billings’ stay at the crease was short and he became Stoinis’ 3rd scalp of the night. Brathwaite looked to be in a hurry and smacked a four and a six in his knock of 6-ball 12 before being caught in the deep off the bowling of Sandeep Sharma in the 18^th over. The Daredevils needed 28 off the last 2 overs with Chris Morris and Rishabh Pant at the crease.

But a superb penultimate over by Mohit Sharma gave the Daredevils absolutely no chance in the game. Mohit Sharma gave away just 3 runs in the crunch situation. With 25 needed off the last over, the game always in the favour of the Kings. Kings XI won by 9 runs.

Brief Scores:

Kings XI Punjab – 181/5 in 20 overs (W Saha 52, M Stoinis 52; C Morris 2/30)

Delhi Daredevils – 172/5 in 20 overs (Q de Kock 52; M Stoinis 3/40)

Man of the match: Marcus Stoinis

Here is how Twitter reacted through the game – Twitter Reactions: Kings XI Punjab stay afloat with a win over DD