A stunning collapse of four wickets for as many runs in just nine balls derailed a seemingly comfortable run chase for the Delhi Capitals as they slumped from a winning position to lose by 14 runs in their IPL match against the King’s XI Punjab in their IPL match at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Monday night.
Replying to the King’s XI 166 for nine, Delhi finished 152 all out.
Delhi were 144 for three with 24 runs required from 21 balls when Rishabh Pant (39 from 26 balls) was bowled slogging at Mohammad Shami.
Sam Curran then claimed two wickets with consecutive deliveries as the Capitals suffered a collective brain fade when cool heads were required. The collapse was complete – seven wickets for eight runs in 17 balls – when Curran bowled last man Sandeep Lamichhane to complete a hat-trick for figures of 4-11 in just 2.2 overs.
Colin Ingram appeared to have played the leading role in a match dominated by South Africans but when he holed out to mid-off following Pant’s indiscretion the match was turned on its head.
Earlier David Miller top-scored with 43 from 30 balls with four fours and two sixes to guide the home side to a total of 166 for nine, which he described between innings as “probably 20 runs short of what we needed.”.
The King’s XI, who rested Chris Gayle and give English left arm seamer Curran a game, reached 120 for three with six overs to go and looked on course for a par score of around 180 before Chris Morris (3-30) and Kagiso Rabada (2-32) blew the middle and lower order away in the closing overs.
KL Rahul (15) was trapped lbw by Morris but Curran, promoted to open, struck three cover drives in 20 from 10 balls before missing a leg break from Nepalese legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane.
Sarfaraz Khan (39 from 29 balls) and Miller, who hit four fours and brace of sixes, then rebuilt the innings at a healthy pace before Sarfaraz edged Lamichhane to ‘keeper Rishabh Pant and Miller departed in the same manner against Morris.
Mandeep Singh remained unbeaten on 29 at the end but a flurry of late wickets left the King’s XI well short of the average score of 183 for the venue.
The match appeared to be heading for its predicted course until the final three overs when Delhi imploded in a burst of self-destruction rarely seen before in the IPL – including Morris being run out first ball with a ludicrous call to mi- off with just a run a ball required.
