IPL: Capitalising on opportunities

Navi Mumbai, May 16

Spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were inspirational in the middle-overs even as Shardul Thakur complemented the duo with a career-best IPL figures as Delhi Capitals inched closer towards playoffs beating Punjab Kings by 17 runs today.

Invited to bat, Delhi posted 159/7 courtesy Mitchell Marsh’s 48-ball 63 and then restricted Punjab to 142/9. Thakur (4/36), Patel (2/14) and Yadav (2/14) shared eight wickets among them while Anrich Nortje got the important wicket of Jonny Bairstow.

It was between overs six and 14 where Delhi won the game as Yadav and Patel cumulatively gave away only 28 runs in seven overs with four wickets between them.

With this win, Delhi jumped a place to fourth with 14 points from 13 matches. Royal Challengers Bangalore (14 from 13 matches) have same points as Delhi but they were pushed down to fifth spot as they have -0.323 net run-rate compared to +0.255 of Delhi.

Punjab, who remained at seventh spot with 12 points from 13 matches, are virtually out of reckoning for a playoffs berth as they also have a -0.043 net run-rate.

Chasing 160 for a win, Punjab suffered a batting collapse after a good start. Jitesh Sharma (44 off 34 balls) and Rahul Chahar (25 not out off 24 balls) fought back with a 41-run stand — highest in their run chase — for the eighth wicket but that proved to be too little too late.

Brief Scores: DC: 159/7 in 20 overs (Marsh 63, Khan 32; Livingstone 3/27, Singh 3/37); PBKS: 142/9 in 20 overs (Sharma 44; Thakur 4/36). — PTI

RR’s Hetmyer likely to play against CSK

Rajasthan Royals batter Shimron Hetmyer, who had flown to Guyana for the birth of his first child, has rejoined the squad and is likely to be available for the side’s final league match on Friday.

Our top-order should set up games: Rahul

Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul wants his top-order batters to up their game following their second consecutive loss. The 24-run loss to Rajasthan Royals on Sunday was Lucknow’s second consecutive loss, denting their chances of finishing in the top-two. “I won’t lie, yes, there is a bit of pressure. The team needs the top-order to set up the game for someone like Marcus Stoinis and Jason (Holder) to come in and finish games. Which hasn’t happened, unfortunately.”