Delhi Capitals defeated the Punjab Kings on Monday at DY Patil Stadium by a good margin of 17 runs, and picked up 2 crucial points, also bettering their run rate. As the 15th season of the Indian Premier League is aging to its end, the tournament has become the game of run rates.
The team with a better run rate will qualify for the playoffs. DC batted first, and put up 159 on the scoreboard for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs, and limited their opposition PBKS within 142, dismissing 9 of their batsmen. Here are 3 factors to consider which led DC to secure the win.
Mitchell Marsh scored a half-century
Mitchell Marsh has been in good form this season, which is reflected in this match too. He played a brilliant knock of 63 of 48 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes, with a strike rate of 131.25. Also, Sarfaraz Khan supported him, in the beginning, scoring a speedy 32 of 16 deliveries with 5 fours and a six, and Lalit Yadav was there for some time too, with his 24 of 21 innings.
DC bowlers, bowling well
In modern-day T20 cricket, 159 can be easily chased, but ultimately the bowlers are the ones who make you win the match in these cases. In this match, the DC bowlers bowled brilliantly. Six bowlers bowled for the Capitals, and four of them picked up wickets in important times, which was a great factor leading them towards victory.
Stopping Jitesh Sharma
Though the top-order batsmen were not able to bat for long, Jitesh Sharma was playing well, and it seemed like he may take PBKS past the victory line. The equation wasn’t much tough, and Jitesh scored 44 of 34 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. However, Shardul Thakur dismissed him, and David Warner took a phenomenal catch in that ball. Thakur overall took 4 wickets in 4 overs, conceding 36 runs, and was given the man of the match award.
