PBKS vs DC Highlights, IPL 2024: Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone guide Punjab Kings to 4-wicket win over Delhi Capitals

PBKS vs DC, IPL 2024: Check updates of Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals

PBKS vs DC Highlights, IPL 2024, Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals: Sam Curran scored a crafty half-century to hold Punjab Kings's chase, while Liam Livingstone provided the perfect finishing touch to help Punjab Kings start their campaign on a high. Curran was dismissed for 63, while Livingstone remained unbeaten on 38. Punjab Kings chased down the 175-run target with four balls to spare to beat Delhi Capitals by 4 wickets. It was not an ideal comeback for Rishabh Pant but a perfect start for Punjab Kings at their new home ground.

Prabhsimran Singh (26) also played a valuable knock in the middle to help Curran get settled in the middle.

Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for Delhi Capitals with two wickets in his kitty. Khaleel also claimed a couple but it was too late back then.

Earlier, Ishant Sharma pulled Delhi Capitals back in the game after dismissing Shikhar Dhawan and running out Jonny Bairstow in the same over. Punjab Kings were off to a flyer in the chase but the two wickets put them on the backfoot. Abhishek Porel made a massive impact with the bat as his powerful cameo helped Delhi Capitals score 174/9 in 20 overs. Porel, who came out as an impact player, remained unbeaten on 32 off 10 balls to give final push to the Delhi innings after they lost wickets in regular intervals in the middle overs.

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant scored 18 in his comeback match before getting dismissed by Harshal Patel. The southpaw scored a boundary during his stay in the middle but he did look a bit rusty. Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel picked two wickets each for Punjab but the latter got smashed for 25 runs in the final over.

Earlier, Patel picked the massive wicket of David Warner who was looking in incredible form to hurt Delhi Capitals. Warner scored 29 runs and gave Delhi a solid start. Meanwhile, comeback man Rishabh Pant replaced him in the middle.

Arshdeep Singh got the better of Mitchell Marsh to provide Punjab Kings an early breakthrough in the powerplay. The Aussie star scored 20 and failed to convert it into a big score. Earlier, Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and elected to bowl first against Punjab Kings at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh. Delhi Capitals made a big by dropping Prithvi Shaw from the XI as Punjab Kings decided to pick Jonny Bairstow over Sikandar Raza and Chris Woakes.

After a riveting southern derby to kick off the IPL 2024 last night, the action moves up, where northern neighbours Delhi Punjab open their season against Delhi Capitals, two teams who will want to shed the tag of underachievers this year. DC and PBKS are among the original eight franchises that kickstarted the Indian Premier League way back in 2008, but barring three combined finals, have nothing to show. Their trophy cabinet, like the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is empty after 16 seasons, and truth be told, fans are beginning to lose patience as well. Yet, the start of a new season brings lots of hopes, promises and beliefs that this year the drought will end, and both PBKS and DC are sure to abide by the same thought process.

This is PBKS' home game, but at a new venue. The PCA Stadium is a thing of the past now as in comes the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The IPL has a new home and PBKS move base from Mohali to Chandigarh. A capacity of over 40000 people, this ground is bigger, and hopefully better as far as PBKS's fortunes are concerned. Leading the team once again is Shikhar Dhawan, the second-highest run-getter in the history of IPL. Dhawan's T20 days with India may be behind him, but whenever the IPL comes, he ensures to grab the selectors' eyeballs. Jitesh Sharma, the newly-appointed captain is another star attraction for them. As is Harshal Patel, the costliest Indian buy at the 2024 auction. And of course, the presence of Jonny Bairstow at the top is consolation for any team. Add to that the English mix of Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone and on paper, Punjab's batting appears even more threatening than RCB. Then again, capitalising it on the field is what makes and breaks tournaments.

On to their opposition Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant is the individual all eyes would be on. Playing a competitive cricket game for the first time since his unfortunate car crash in December of 2022, Pant's match practice promises to answer a lot of questions. How fit is he? How will the body hold? Will ke keep wicket? Is he still the brute force in batting that he used to be? All questions will be answered today. Pant looks to be in great shape, and while he has hit the ground running with intense rehab and practice ahead of his comeback game, the experience of match practice is something else. And at a new venue, where the temperature will be in the early 30s, Pant and his body will be pushed for sure.

Barring Pant, there are certain names that generate interest, starting with Prithvi Shaw. Having struggled for form and fitness, this could be his last chance at redemption. DC coach Ricky Ponting had exposed his vulnerability towards incoming deliveries, but now is the time for him for the Aussie great to find a permanent fix if DC are to find a solution to their opening woes. Shaw's partner David Warner recently announced his retirement from Tests and ODIs, can still make heads turn in T20Is and DC their most experienced player to rise to the occasions and give them a kind of start that sets the tone for the entire season.

Below are a few pointers on today's PBKS vs DC IPL 2024 match:

- Rishabh Pant is ready for an emotional return to cricketing action for the first time since December 2022.

- The returning wicketkeeper-batter will lead the Delhi Capitals, taking over the captaincy from David Warner.

- Nothing to differ between the two sides: DC have 16 wins, and so do PBKS in their 32 encounters in IPL so far.

- Both teams will look for a stronger season this time; last year, PBKS finished 8th, while the Capitals had only 5 wins, ending a dismal 9th.

- This will be the first IPL match at the newly-built Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur, which will be the home ground to PBKS.