Watch: David Warner's last-minute strike swap with Sarfaraz Khan goes horribly wrong in PBKS vs DC IPL match

IPL 2022, DC vs PBKS: While it was a near-perfect game for Delhi Capitals, the 2020 runners up stuttered at the start with David Warner getting out for a golden duck. Watch Video: David Warner's decision to swap strike with Sarfaraz Khan backfires as Liam Livingstone sends him back for golden duck.

Mitchell Marsh on Monday notched up a gritty half-century before Shardul Thakur's four-wicket haul helped Delhi Capitals stay afloat in the playoffs race with a 17-run win over Punjab Kings. Marsh, who began this season while nursing a hip injury and later tested positive for coronavirus, hit his second straight fifty of the season to power his side to a 159-7 against a disciplined Punjab attack. Shardul Thakur then returned 4/36 in his four overs to restrict the opposition to 142-9 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. (IPL 2022 Full Coverage)

David Warner in action against Punjab Kings  (Twitter)

While it was a near-perfect IPL game for Delhi, the 2020 runners up stuttered at the start with David Warner getting dismissed for a golden duck against Liam Livingstone. The Australian opener gave a simple catch to backward point on the very first ball to record a first-ball IPL nought for the first time in nine years.

Interestingly, Warner wasn't going to take strike before Livingstone started off the proceedings with the ball. The Capitals opener made a last-minute call to take the strike from his partner Sarfaraz Khan, who was all set to kick-start the innings.

Warner, however, ended up slicing Livingstone's tossed-up delivery straight to Rahul Chahar. He walked back to the dugout without troubling the scorers.

Watch Video: David Warner's decision to swap strike with Sarfaraz Khan backfires as Liam Livingstone strikes

Post Warner's exit, Sarfaraz hit back with an explosive 32-ball 16 before falling to left-arm Arshdeep Singh. Livingstone inflicted further damage by plucking the key wickets of skipper Rishabh Pant (7) and Rovman Powell (2).

But Marsh anchored the innings when his team kept losing wickets at regular intervals. He amassed 63 laced with four fours and three sixes to boost Delhi's total. In reply, Jonny Baristow smashed a 15-ball 28 before Punjab fell like a pack of cards. Twin strikes in the sixth over by Shardul to send back Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Shikhar Dhawan hurt Punjab's chase.

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav then decimated the opposition with two wickets each. Axar grabbed the wicket of skipper Mayank Agarwal, for nought, while Kuldeep removed Livingstone for three. Jitesh Sharma gave Delhi a scare with his 34-ball 44 before Shardul removed him in the 18th over. It was Warner who plucked a low catch at long-off to almost seal the win for his side.

The win kept Delhi in the hunt for a top-four playoffs spot, while Punjab’s hopes took a massive blow. Delhi are now fourth, climbing over Royal Challengers Bangalore in terms of run-rate. Delhi and Bangalore need to win their final games to stand a chance to grab the last playoffs berth.