IPL: Curran, Livingstone get Punjab off to winning start vs Delhi

Rishabh Pant’s hopes for a triumphant return were dashed as English all-rounder Sam Curran‘s aggressive fifty propelled Punjab Kings to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in their IPL season opener.

Curran’s explosive 63 off just 47 balls, supported by Liam Livingstone‘s brisk 38 not out from 21 deliveries, guided Punjab to successfully chase down 175 runs with four balls to spare.

Despite Pant’s comeback, Delhi Capitals struggled to set a formidable target, finishing at 174 for nine. DC’s ‘Impact Player’ Abhishek Porel’s quickfire unbeaten 32 off 10 balls was the highlight of their innings.
Punjab Kings’ chase began strongly, but Shikhar Dhawan’s dismissal by Ishant Sharma for 22 off 16 balls brought an early setback. Prabhsimran, stepping in at number three as the home team’s choice of ‘Impact Player’, showed aggression but fell victim to Ishant’s deceptive delivery after a brief resistance.
Jonny Bairstow’s unlucky run-out compounded Punjab’s woes, leaving them at 100 for four in the 12th over. Despite Prabhsimran’s spirited effort of 27 off 17 balls, Kuldeep Yadav’s timely strikes added pressure on Punjab’s batting lineup.
In the early stages, Punjab found themselves under immediate pressure from the dynamic Australian opening pair of David Warner, who scored 29 runs off 21 balls, and Mitchell Marsh, who contributed 20 runs off 12 deliveries, showcasing an array of boundaries.
Marsh capitalized on a loose delivery from Sam Curran, flicking it off his pads for the day’s first boundary. Taking advantage of another subpar delivery, Marsh skillfully dispatched Curran to the boundary, setting the tone for Delhi Capitals’ innings.
Not to be outdone, Warner demonstrated his aggressive intent by lofting left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh for a six and then finding the boundary through the cover-point region.
The onslaught prompted Punjab Kings’ captain Shikhar Dhawan to make a bowling change, introducing Kagiso Rabada, but Marsh continued his assault, dispatching a short delivery over deep backward square for a towering six.
Arshdeep returned to the attack only to be met with another massive six from Marsh, this time clearing the long-off boundary.
However, Arshdeep had the last laugh as he induced Marsh into a mistimed drive, resulting in a catch for Rahul Chahar at cover point.
Despite the loss of his opening partner, Warner persisted with his aggressive approach, striking Rabada for a boundary through mid-off before executing a remarkable scoop shot for a maximum over fine leg.
Harpreet Brar managed to stem the flow of runs with an impressive first over, but Chahar conceded 14 runs in his opening over, with Shai Hope contributing with a six and a four.
Harshal Patel dealt a significant blow by dismissing Warner in his first over, bringing Rishabh Pant, amidst cheers from the crowd celebrating his remarkable recovery from a car accident in December 2022, to the crease.
Pant managed a couple of boundaries before falling to Harshal in a soft dismissal.
Meanwhile, Rabada removed Hope, and Chahar accounted for Tristan Stubbs as Delhi Capitals found themselves struggling at 128/6 by the 16th over.