Punjab Ride on Sam Curran’s Hat-Trick to Beat Delhi by 14 Runs

From 144 for 3, Delhi lost their last seven wickets for 8 runs as they were shot out for 152 in 19.2 overs

• Kings XI Punjab beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs in Mohali on Monday.
• Kings XI Punjab’s Sam Curran picked up a hat-trick.
• KXIP: 166/9 in 20 overs (David MIller 43, Sarfaraz Khan 39, Chris Morris 3/30).
• DC: 152 in 19.2 overs (Rishabh Pabnt 39, Colin Ingram 38, Sam Curran /11).

Kings XI Punjab's costliest buy Sam Curran proved his worth with an incredible spell at the back end as the home team pulled off a miraculous 14-run victory against Delhi Capitals left stunned by an inexplicable batting collapse in Monday's IPL encounter in Mohali.

KXIP's 'million dollar man' Curran picked up 4 for 11 in 2.2 overs, including a hat-trick and was ably supported by Mohammed Shami as Delhi Capitals were shot out for 152 in 19.2 overs in pursuit of 167.

From 144 for 3, Delhi lost their last seven wickets for 8 runs, something that will haunt them for days to come especially after Rishabh Pant and Colin Ingram set up what looked like an easy win.

Pant muscled a couple of sixes into dep mid-wicket stand during 39 off 26 balls as Ingram (38 off 29 balls) bisected the off-side field with some precision cut shots during their stand of 62 in 6.5 overs that took Capitals closer to victory.

However there were more twists and turns than what Capitals had thought.

In a space of 9 deliveries, Capitals lost 4 wickets for only 4 runs. From 144 for 3, they were in a precarious position at 147 for 7. The ball also started reversing more and DC's lower-middle was incapable of handling the movement in the air.

Once Pant was bowled by Mohammed Shami and Chris Morris was needlessly run-out off the very next delivery, things started going downhill.

Curran dealt twin blows removing Ingram and Harshal Patel while Hanuma Vihari (2), a surprise selection in this format with very limited range of strokes was dismissed by Shami as the match swung in KXIP's favour. Prithvi Shaw coldn't replicate his performance against KKR but Shikhar Dhawan (30 off 25 balls) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (28 off 22 balls) added 61 for the second wicket to set a platform.

Iyer looked a better player of the two on the day with his shot arm pull and the powerful slash over point but played away from his body off a Hardus Viljoen delivery while Dhawan padded a carrom ball from Ashwin.

Earlier, Chris Gayle's absence at the top of the order did have an impact as Kings XI Punjab could only manage a par-score of 166 for 9 after being put into bat.

Kings XI Punjab experimented with Sam Curran at the top of the order, a move which almost paid off. After losing KL Rahul in the second over the innings, Curran pulled things back for Punjab. Curran looked in real good touch as he played some delightful strokes. He struck three fours and a six for his 10-ball 20 before he was dismissed by Sandeep Lamichhane.

Punjab also lost Mayank Agarwal (6) after which Sarfraz Khan (39) added a 62-run stand with David Miller before losing his wicket.

From there Miller then took matters in his own hands and batted through the middle overs scoring at a brisk pace. He scored 43 off 29 balls and was dismissed at the wrong time in the 16th over of the Punjab innings. When he was dismissed, Punjab were 137/5.

Once Miller was dismissed, Delhi lacked the firepower in the final overs. Mandeep Singh’s quickfire cameo (29 off 21 balls) helped Punjab get past the 160-run mark.

For Delhi, Sandeep Lamichanne webbed his magic around the Punjab batsmen taking 2 wickets for 27 runs, but Chris Morris was the wrecker-in-chief finishing with figures of 3/30, including wickets of KL Rahul and David Miller. Kagiso Rabada continued his good work with ball as he took 2/32 to tie down the Punjab batsmen.

(With inputs from PTI)