A brilliant all-round performance from Marcus Stoinis along with tight bowling from Kagiso Rabada in the Super Over helped Delhi Capitals beat Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Both sides ended their respective 20 overs on 157/8 after which KXIP managed to score
just two runs batting first in the Super Over. DC took three balls to go past that total and get off to a
winning start in the season.
Stoinis was the star of the day for DC as he picked two wickets off the last two balls of the match before
which he smashed 53 off 21 balls to take an otherwise struggling DC past the 150-run mark.
KXIP were tottering at 55/5 at the start of the 11th over of the match after which opener Mayank Agarwal turned things around for them.
Mayank scored a masterful 89 off 60 balls and his innings turned the tables to the extent that KXIP needed one run to win off the last three balls. But, he holed out at sweeper cover off the penultimate ball before Chris Jordan hit it straight to square leg.
Earlier, DC were on 127/7 at the end of the penultimate over of the innings at the Dubai International Stadium after which Stoinis smashed 26 runs off Chris Jordan in the final over. Additionally, the over included a wide and a dramatic final ball in which Stoinis was run out after taking a run but Jordan had
overstepped. Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada ran two runs off the free-hit to make 30 runs off the over.
Kings XI Punjab dominated their opponents until Stoinis brought Delhi Capitals back in the game by scoring 53 runs in just 21 balls. After being asked to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a very poor start as the team lost three wickets in quick succession. Shikhar Dhawan (0) was run out in the second over while Prithvi Shaw and Shimron Hetmyer were dismissed by Mohammad Shami in the fourth over.
Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant then took the field and provided the team with some momentum. Both
played cautiously but kept the scoreboard running, helping the team get past the 50-run mark.
After the competition of 11 overs, Delhi Capitals were at 56/3. However, from there on, Iyer shifted gear and started playing with an attacking mindset. In the 13th over, bowled by Krishnappa Gowtham, Iyer struck two massive sixes. Both formed a 73-run partnership before Pant (31) was bowled by Ravi Bishnoi in the 14th over. In the next over, Mohammed Shami removed Iyer (39), putting Delhi Capitals under pressure again.
Axar Patel and Stoinis were the next batsmen but their partnership did not last long as the former was
sent back to the pavilion by Sheldon Cottrell. Delhi Capitals were at 100/7 after completion of 17 over, with Stoinis and R. Ashwin on
the field.
Stoinis began playing furiously and struck regular boundaries and sixes, bringing the team back in
the game. He continued his brilliant form and went on to complete his half-century and helped Delhi Capitals reach a respectable total.
Shami claimed three wickets while Cottrell picked two wickets in the match. Kings XI Punjab need 158 runs to win the match.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 157/8 (Marcus Stoinis 53, Shreyas Iyer 39; Mohammed Shami 3/15) beat Kings XI Punjab 157/8 (Mayank Agarwal 89, KL Rahul 21; R Ashwin2/2, Rabada 2/28) in Super Over