Shikhar Dhawan presented a treat at Wankhede as Delhi Capitals wrapped up a 196-run chase with 10 balls to spare. Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw set a 59-run opening stand before the latter was dismissed for 32. Dhawan carried on, smacking the bowlers all over the park, and scored 92 runs in 49 balls. After the Delhi Vice-captain was dismissed, Rishabh Pant (15), Marcus Stoinis (27*) and Lalit Yadav (12*) finished the match. Jhye Richardson took two wickets for the Punjab Kings.

8 runs needed in 12 overs

Wicket! Jhye Richardson dismisses Rishabh Pant. Capitals need 16 runs in 17 balls

Score update: Delhi Capitals reach 180/3 after 17 overs. 16 runs needed in 18 balls

Delhi need 43 runs in 29 balls

14.5: OUT! Big wicket Dhawan finally perishes, eight short of his hundred. Dhawan b J Richardson 92(49) [4s-13 6s-2]

Score update: Delhi Capitals 143/2 after 14 overs

After losing Steve Smith to Riley Meredith, Punjab get to 117/2 after 12 overs

Score update: Delhi Capitals score 99/1 from 10 overs

6.0: The final over of the powerplay sees pacer Arshdeep Singh dismiss Shaw. Steve Smith walks in. Delhi Capitals – 62/1

5.0: 14 runs come off Shami’s over as Dhawan and Shaw bring up a 50-run stand. Delhi Capitals – 57/0

Score update: Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw score 31 runs in three overs

Dhawan and Shaw come out to bat. 196 runs needed in 120 balls.

Punjab have put up 195 runs on the board after explosive cameos by Shahrukh Khan (15 runs off 5 balls) and Deepak Hooda (22 runs off 13 balls). The opening partnership between Mayank Agarwal (69) and KL Rahul (61) set the foundation as the Delhi bowlers looked clueless in the first 12 overs. It was only after the two departed that Delhi could lower the run rate. Gayle didn’t stay long and Pooran’s barren run just got extended.

18.5: Avesh Khan to Pooran, out Caught by Rabada!! Pooran c Rabada b Avesh Khan 9(8) [4s-1] Punjab Kings – 179/4

16.2: Woakes to Gayle, out Caught by (sub)Ripal Patel!! Gayle c (sub)Ripal Patel b Woakes 11(9) [6s-1] Punjab Kings- 158/3

15.2: OUT! A length ball and Rahul holes out in the deep. Just didn’t middle it and ended up finding the man at deep mid-wicket. Rahul missed on his 5000 IPL runs by 1 run. Rahul c Stoinis b Rabada 61(51) [4s-7 6s-2] Punjab Kings- 141/2

14.0: KL Rahul gets to his fifty in 45 balls. Punjab Kings- 128/1

12.4: OUT!  Slower delivery outside lures Mayank to chip it towards the man at deep point. Mayank c Dhawan b Meriwala 69(36) [4s-7 6s-4]. Punjab Kings – 122/1

11.0: Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul take on Kagiso Rabada for 20 runs in the over to bring up a 100-run opening partnership. Punjab Kings- 114/0

7.0: Four runs come off Ravichandran Ashwin’s over. Punjab Kings- 63/0

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal bring up a 50-run opening stand. Punjab Kings- 50/0 after 5 overs

4.0: Meriwala finally finds swing. Full and from over the wicket, the left-arm pacer takes the ball away from KL Rahul. Seven runs off the over. Punjab Kings- 43/0

Meriwala gives away 20 runs in his first over. The debutant is hit for three boundaries and one six, as KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal get off to a flying start.

1.2: Dropped! Debutant Meriwala offers width, Rahul plays an aerial cut and Smith stationed inside the ring, leaps and gets his hands to it. 

Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to bowl first against KL Rahul’s Punjab Kings. Steve Smith and Smith and Meriwala come in the playing 11. For Punjab, Murugan Ashwin misses and Jalaj Saxena comes in.

Teams:

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steven Smith, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Marcus Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Lukman Meriwala

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Jalaj Saxena, Mohammed Shami, Riley Meredith, Arshdeep Singh

Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings had similar fortunes in the season before the game. Both the teams had won one game and lost one. 

“The pitch looks a bit drier, there’s not as much moisture as the last game. There will be less seam movement as compared to the previous matches. 11 wickets have fallen in the four games of powerplay, so the teams need to get through the powerplay overs watchfully,” as Simon Doull studies the pitch.