Marsh, Sarfaraz and Shardul deliver for Capitals in crucial game
The Hindu
The Aussie scores his second successive half-century while the opener makes a 16-ball 32; seamer derails Kings’ chase
Mitchell Marsh arrived late, contracted COVID-19 and was forced to miss a few games of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.
However, the Australian has started to make up for lost time, becoming Mr. Dependable for Delhi Capitals in the middle-order.
After an impressive show against Rajasthan Royals in the previous outing, Marsh’s 63 (48b, 4x4, 3x6) guided Rishabh Pant’s men to 159 for seven and eventually paved the way for the team’s 17-run win at the D.Y. Patil Stadium on Monday.
The victory also brightened Capitals’ playoff chances.
Expectations were high from a star-studded Punjab Kings batting line-up, but the target proved too steep despite a 41-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Jitesh Sharma (44, 34b, 3x4, 2x6) and Rahul Chahar, who remained unbeaten on 25.
With Shardul Thakur claiming four wickets and the Kuldeep Yadav-Axar Patel spin duo two each, the Kings innings collapsed despite openers Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan scoring 38 within the first four overs.
After Bairstow fell to Anrich Nortje, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dhawan were sent back by Shardul off the fourth and sixth deliveries of the sixth over as Kings slid to 54 for three in the PowerPlay. Axar and Kuldeep tightened the noose, dismissing captain Mayank Agarwal and the big-hitting Liam Livingstone cheaply.
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