Follow UsAt the end of the powerplay, DC were well above the required run-rate, having put up 65 for no loss on the board. In the middle overs, PBKS spinners ended up asking questions that DC batters had no answers to.
"Another disappointing effort with the bat after the start we had. I think we found the right combination but we keep losing 4-5 wickets in the middle and that is something you cannot do at this level," David Warner, DC skipper, said.
Having elected to field after winning the toss, Delhi put Punjab on the backfoot in the powerplay. They managed to scalp Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma in the first six. But, the uncapped Prabhsimran Singh surprised one and all with his strokeplay, as he notched up his maiden IPL ton.
"It was about restricting them to a decent total. They got a little bit more than what I thought. Prabhsimran batted well. A few dropped chances cost us a few runs. After the way we started and then losing six for 30, you are not going to win many games. You have to play with pride, belief in yourself and play with freedom," he added.
Shikhar Dhawan, meanwhile, had every reason to be pleased with this effort. Punjab spinners finally came to the party, picking seven wickets between them.
"I was thinking where the game was going (after the powerplay). The way our spinners brought the game back was amazing. Credit goes to them for closing it out. It was an amazing knock by Prabhsimran. I rate this knock quite high, playing that sort of a knock with that high strike-rate and the shots he has played against the turn as well, it was amazing. Because of that innings, we could reach that total. I have confidence in Brar and I asked him to bowl more at the stumps. The way he stood up and took those wickets, especially getting those left-handers out, it was very big," Shikhar Dhawan said.
With the tournament poised for a close finish, Punjab had to win this game to stay alive in the tournament.
"I like how the boys have taken responsibility. I am very happy with the way they are growing. This win gives us a lot of confidence. We know that we have to win both matches. We have to stay calm and focused because staying calm and being focused works for us," Dhawan further went on to say.
Eight losses for Delhi mean that they become the first team to officially go out of the tournament. Punjab, on the other hand, live to fight another day. Both these teams play each other in their next encounter, which takes place in Dharamshala on the 17th.