Punjab pull off record chase against Delhi despite Rahul ton
KL Rahul hammered a sensational 152 not out and Delhi Capitals piled up what was briefly the season’s highest total, yet Punjab Kings cruised to a six-wicket victory in an Indian Premier League run-fest on Saturday.
In all, 529 runs were plundered in 38.5 overs in a remarkable exhibition of T20 batting, with a combined 33 sixes clearing the ropes at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer was left searching for words after his team chased down a record 265-run target with seven balls to spare.
“I’m running out of words, honestly speaking,” said Iyer, who led by example with an unbeaten 71.
“We discussed that in the previous games, we chased around 220–225 with two overs left. So the mindset was very much similar.”
Punjab, chasing their maiden IPL title, cemented their position atop the standings after their sixth win in seven matches, while Delhi are sixth at the halfway stage of their campaign.
It was Delhi, who looked to be in the box seat after Rahul led their charge with a stunning 67-ball knock that included nine sixes and 16 fours.
Rahul and Nitish Rana (91) milked 220 runs in their extraordinary 96-ball partnership as Delhi racked up 264-2, their highest ever total in the 10-team league.
Chasing a steep target, Punjab openers Priyansh Arya (43) and Prabhsimran (76) responded in kind, taking the attack straight to Delhi’s bowlers from the outset.
They pillaged 116 runs from the first six powerplay overs with audacious power-hitting to set the tone for a successful chase.
Iyer clobbered seven sixes in his 36-ball blitz to guide his side home, aided by two costly reprieves.
The right-hander was dropped twice, on 28 and 35, with Karun Nair spilling both chances.
“Looking at the kind of wicket, if you don’t support your bowlers and keep giving away so many chances, then I feel we deserved to lose,” Delhi captain Axar Patel said in a blunt assessment of his side’s fielding.
Delhi fast bowler Lungi Ngidi left the game in an ambulance after sustaining a head injury while fielding. The South African was stable and set to be discharged soon from a city hospital, organisers said later.