PBKS vs DC Match 55 Results

6:31 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - In his first game of the season, Madhav Tiwari wins the award for his all-round heroics. 2/40 with the ball and an unbeaten 18 off 8 in the chase. On getting the opportunity, Tiwari first credits the team management and feels lucky to have been on the winning side. On what keeps him sharp on the field, he puts it down to the hard work in practice sessions. He adds that he has worked a lot on his bowling and credits bowling coach Munaf Patel for that, while also adding that he has put in a lot of work on his range hitting, working with the batting coach. On whether he considers himself more a bowler or a batter, he confidently says that he is a 100 per cent batter and a 100 per cent bowler. On his bowling, Tiwari says the wicket was helping the length ball, and he tried to stick to it while mixing in wider balls and shorter ones. He adds he was prepared to bowl four overs, given the conditions were supporting the fast bowlers. Speaking about his batting, he says batting coach Ian Bell told him he has the power and everything he needs, and to just hold his shape and watch the ball, and not overhit it.

6:30 PM IST Crunch clash in Ahmedabad - Up next on Tuesday, 12th May, the Gujarat Titans will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Both teams are level on 14 points, with Sunrisers placed second because of a superior net run rate, while Titans sit third.  The game will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but do join us early for all the build-up. See you then. Cheers!

6:26 PM IST Uncertain about what the pitch had to offer, Axar Patel invited the Punjab Kings to bat first. PBKS raced to 51 in the first three overs with Priyansh Arya teeing off, and at that stage, one feared the worst for DC. However, DC’s pacers settled into that back-of-a-length area and got the ball to move around enough to pull the scoring rate back under control. Usually, Cooper Connolly and Shreyas Iyer would look to take the attack straight to the bowlers, but both batters quickly realised this was not an easy surface to hit through the line on. They instead stitched together a valuable partnership to set the platform for a strong finish, though Punjab were unable to fully capitalise at the death. It was all pace from DC, who bowled all 20 overs through their seamers, while PBKS sent down 19 overs of pace themselves without a single over of spin.

6:23 PM IST The captain of the Delhi Capitals - Axar Patel says that his team has let crucial moments slip through their fingers this season. He insists the side has played good cricket overall, but admits they have ended up on the wrong side in a couple of matches that could easily have gone either way. Axar believes that it is a long tournament and every day is not the same in the IPL. Hopes that they can put in good performances in the remaining games. Patel feels that they did well to pull things back after conceding nearly 60 runs in the first three overs. Believes the spells from Madhav Tiwari and Mukesh Kumar through the middle overs proved to be the turning point of the game. Axar also praises the batting effort after his dismissal, highlighting the contributions from David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav in helping DC complete the chase. The DC skipper mentions that the ball was swinging and seaming throughout the innings, but DC did not bowl in the right areas during the opening overs despite the assistance on offer, which is why he stayed away from spin. Axar says teams always need a backup plan and mentions that although he has been batting higher up the order regularly, things clicked for him tonight. He also admits luck played a part after being dropped earlier in the innings. Patel finishes by saying the kind of cricket Delhi are playing and the bench strength they possess shows the future of the franchise is in good hands. According to him, youngsters stepping up in pressure situations is one of the most encouraging signs for the team.

6:16 PM IST It was the stand between Axar and David Miller that truly dragged Delhi back into the contest and began to make Punjab Kings nervous. Arshdeep Singh was the shining light for the home side, but after starting well, the rest of the attack struggled to execute under pressure in the dewy conditions. Miller could not see the chase through till the end, but the likes of Ashutosh Sharma, Madhav Tiwari, and eventually Auqib Nabi helped take DC over the line.

6:14 PM IST A quick word with David Miller - On the chat with Axar during their partnership, Miller says they were behind in the game but he is full of praise for his skipper. He says Axar has been working really hard, and while it has not quite gone his way, he came out tonight with great intent and showed the boys what it is all about. He details that Axar dug in deep and came out with good energy, and the way he played, it allowed him (Miller) to take a couple of balls to get going. He feels they complemented each other pretty well. On navigating the death overs, Miller says it is a difficult thing but it is about staying calm. Adds that there is always a long journey to get to the end and it is about staying present. He says he keeps clearing his mind of all the noise around run rates, fielding positions and bowling changes, and just tries to think with clarity. On whether there was an extra incentive playing against his former side, Miller says there is always an incentive, but feels it is just the nature of league cricket, going from one team to another. Says that it was a great opportunity to do what he loves and try to finish games. He jokes that he felt like a garbage truck getting out there at the backend but is glad to have contributed when it mattered. On the surface, Miller shares that there was something in the wicket, with the odd ball staying low, but generally felt it had good bounce and the ball travelled well. He stresses that it was about keeping up the shape and playing good cricket shots.