IPL 2023: Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Match 64 – Talking Points and Who Said What?

Delhi Capitals made Punjab Kings’ road to the IPL 2023 playoffs tougher as they beat them by 15 runs on Wednesday, May 17 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala. After being put in to bat first, DC posted a mammoth score of 213/2 in the first innings riding on magnificent knocks from David Warner (46 off 31), Prithvi Shaw (54 off 38) and Rilee Rossouw (82 off 37).

Sam Curran was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS with figures of 2/36 in four overs. In reply, Punjab could only manage to score 198/8 in their allotted 20 overs courtesy of valiant knocks from Liam Livingstone (94 off 48) and Atharva Taide (55 off 42). Ishant Sharma (2/36, 3 overs) and Anrich Nortje (2/36) were the pick of the bowlers for DC. Let’s take a look at the talking points of the match:

Prithvi Shaw’s return to form

After having a disastrous start to the IPL 2023 scoring just 47 runs in the first six innings, Shaw finally found form as he scored a brilliant 54 off 38 balls, smashing seven fours and a six in his innings. The opener was involved in a 94-run opening stand with captain David Warner.

Rilee Rossouw’s blitzkrieg

The South African batter also scored his first fifty of the season as he played a breathtaking knock of 82* off 37 balls, smacking six fours and six sixes in his innings. Rossouw put on consecutive fifty partnerships with Shaw and Philip Salt to help his side post 213/2 in the first innings.

Liam Livingstone’s heroics

The England batter walked in to bat with the score on 50/2 after 6.4 overs and got involved in a 78-run stand with Atharva Taide off 50 balls. After Taide retired himself, but Livingstone continued to take on DC’s bowlers and kept their hopes alive till the last over with his knock of 94 off 48 balls with the help of five fours and nine sixes.

Losing Skipper, Shikhar Dhawan said:

It was frustrating. We didn’t bowl really well in the first six wickets, we should have taken some wickets the way it was swinging. It’s quite a close game, but can’t help it. There was hope after that no ball, Livi played a great knock, unfortunately we couldn’t end up on the other side. I fell my decision to bowl spin off the last over backfired. The momentum also went there. Before that, my fast bowlers got hit for 18-20 runs. Those two overs cost us the game. Our bowlers didn’t pitch the ball up in the powerplay. That was the plan and unfortunately they couldn’t execute. In this sort of a wicket, whether we take wickets or not, we should bowl at the right areas which we are not doing for quite a long time. That’s hurting us. Every powerplay, we have been giving 50-60 runs, we should be taking wickets as well. We knew that it’d swing for 1-2 overs. We lost the first wicket in the 2nd over, I got out and the 1st over was also a maiden – we lost six balls over there.

Winning Skipper, David Warner said:

Pretty bad fielding performance. We backed our strengths. Playing on a nice wicket helped. Was pretty challenging at home. The impact Prithvi had was nice to see. Rilee Rossouw played well as well. We needed some consistency at our home venue. We haven’t been able to work out a total at home. Great to get the points tonight.

Player of the Match, Rilee Rossouw (82 off 37) said:

Thanks to the support staff. Chuffed that I could perform for the team. As Davey mentioned was a good wicket. Davey put up a good partnership at the top. I enjoyed some momentum coming in. Just shows that this game is not over till the last ball is bowled. Exceptional innings from Liam.