IPL 2023: Livingstone heroics in vain as Delhi Capitals beats Punjab Kings

Livingstone walloped 17 runs off Ishant’s three consecutive full tosses in the final over but agonisingly swung and missed a fourth, which all but ended PBKS’ campaign.

Published : May 18, 2023 00:23 IST , DHARAMSALA - 2 MINS READ

Liam Livingstone played a wonderful innings but his knock went in vain.
Liam Livingstone played a wonderful innings but his knock went in vain. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS
infoIcon

Liam Livingstone played a wonderful innings but his knock went in vain. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS

Despite Liam Livingstone’s (94, 48b, 5x4, 9x6) onslaught and Ishant Sharma’s tempestuous final over, Punjab Kings (PBKS) fell 15 runs short after Delhi Capitals (DC) breached the 200-run mark for the first time this Indian Premier League (IPL) season at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium here on Wednesday.

With PBKS needing 79 runs off the last four overs, Livingstone threw the otherwise disciplined DC pacers off their lengths. He walloped 17 runs off Ishant’s three consecutive full tosses in the final over but agonisingly swung and missed a fourth, which all but ended PBKS’ campaign.

Livingstone found support from Atharva Taide (55, 42b, 5x4, 2x6) in a scrappy 78-run partnership off 50 balls which epitomised PBKS’ aggressive intent in the middle-overs this season without the desired result. Livingstone and Taide were dropped once each, and their miscued lofted shots fell short of the fielders in the deep on at least three occasions.

Their run of luck reached a fever-pitch when both went unpunished for a mix-up in the middle off the same ball and ended only when Taide was retired out with the asking rate climbing steeply.

Earlier, an under-fire Prithvi Shaw (54, 38b, 7x4, 1x6) relished his return to form with a sublime fifty and a 94-run opening stand – DC’s highest this season – with skipper David Warner (46, 31b, 5x4, 2x6). The duo deceived PBKS into believing it had remedied its PowerPlay bowling woes when Sam Curran and Kagiso Rabada conceded just six runs off the first two overs.

They stayed in their crease to ride the considerable bounce on offer during a 16-ball boundary-less vigil before Warner opened the floodgates for a 61-run PowerPlay.

After both fell victim to Curran’s slower deliveries, DC’s middle-order, despite the absence of Mitchell Marsh, successfully cast off the lingering memories of its precipitous collapse against the same opposition four nights ago. Rilee Rossouw (82 n.o., 37b, 6x4, 6x6) rushed off the blocks with a couple of fours off Curran but a sterner tested awaited him.

The left-hander has fallen to spin four times in six innings this season, but he rode out the threat of Rahul Chahar, with help from Shaw, and smashed two sixes and a four in a 23-run final over bowled by Harpreet Brar to propel DC to a winning total. 

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment