Prabhsimran Singh’s sparkling century led Punjab Kings to what appeared to be a modest total. But despite a blazing start from David Warner and Delhi Capitals, the Punjab spinners were just too good. Delhi lost 6 for 19 at one stage, and never recovered. Here are our takeaways from the game.
Prabhsimran shuts door on Capitals
This was primarily a contest between Prabhsimran Singh and the Delhi Capitals. It was his unbelievable century that was the difference between the teams. He came down to meet the ball on the front foot, he stepped back, he played half-cock — our man connected everything. He was in the zone today, and it was his day. We can say that David Warner from the opposite side came close, but it was not to be. This was Prabhsimran’s day. At every corner of the ground, he was present. Striking it with that kind of effectiveness. This was madness.
Turn, turn, turn
This was not an easy pitch to bat on. The ball was stopping and turning. This became very evident when Axar Patel bowled his first over. The ball gripped after pitching outside leg stump and ended up beating the outside edge of the right-hander. This is how it might be in the remainder of the matches. Pitches will get slower and slower with more dryness, which will make them more conducive for spin. That was very evident today. Think about the games to be played in Chennai and Ahmedabad. Drier and drier. More turn and twists.
Delhi didn’t play the percentages, and paid the price
Going by the scoreboard, it was Delhi’s game to be won, by a distance. But this is not a game played by the scoreboard. This is a game where the team which holds its horses call the shots, and that’s what Punjab did. They kept relying on their resources. Kept on bringing on their slower bowlers, and reaped the rewards in the end. It appeared to be a cakewalk for Delhi, but turned out to be a trudge through mud. Yes. It was a treacherous pitch, where they played too many strokes and perished instead of relying on singles and twos. Too much bravado at the cost of peril.
Ishant one of the IPL’s comeback kings
Ishant Sharma was quite brilliant. He is out of the India reckoning at the moment. Too old he is, people say. But boy, what a comeback he has made! He is using his mind and body to equal effect. The cutters he is delivering are of some level. This was supreme stuff. On slow and sluggish pitches, it is important to use your mind instead of going in with all brawn. And that is what Ishant has been doing. He is using the brain, and coming up with some clever stuff every now and then. Today was a great example of what he is capable of. Unfortunate that he landed up on the losing side. Well done, Ishant. You have made a case for yourself.
Punjab join play-off traffic jam
How gripping an IPL table we have with so few matches to go! This is fascinating. All teams have a chance even now, except for Delhi. Punjab keep their hat in the ring with a superb and commendable performance. They had to, because they had no choice. And this means that many more teams are still in the fray. This is turning out to be one of the most intriguing IPLs ever.
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