Kings XI Punjab did the job with bat and ball to fashion an impressive nine-run victory over the Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2016. Needing a win to stand any chance of making the playoffs, the batsmen first stepped up with the willow, before the bowlers backed them up well to hand the home side a win in Mohali.
Choosing to bowl first, the Delhi Daredevils bowlers could not quite get a strong enough hold on the Kings XI batsmen, who got to 181/5 in their 20 overs, riding on half-centuries from Marcus Stoinis and Wriddhiman Saha. In reply, despite decent innings from Quinton de Kock and Sanju Samson, the Delhi Daredevils could only manage for 172 for five.
Quinton de Kock got KXIP off to a fast start, scoring 52 runs of the 72-run partnership between the left-hander and Sanju Samson, who only made 15 in that partnership.
When De Kock (52, 30b, 6x4, 2x6) fell, in the eighth over to the excellent Stoinis (4-0-40-3), Samson switched gears brilliantly, scoring runs at will to keep Delhi Daredevils, who surprisingly decided to hold Rishabh Pant in the batting order, back very much favourites to chase down the target. At the halfway mark of the chase, the Delhi Daredevils needed 91 from 60 balls with nine wickets in hand, and you felt they had it under control.
However, things can change very quickly in T20 cricket, and it did when Samson (49, 35b, 4x4, 1x6) fell in the 14th over, to Stoinis, after smashing the bowler for a couple of consecutive boundaries. Karun Nair and Sam Billings departed quickly after that and with Carlos Brathwaite also unable to do what he usually does, it was curtains for DD and a big win for KXIP.
In the Kings XI Punjab innings, Stoinis and Saha hit half- centuries, while the middle and lower middle order chipped in with valuable runs to take the score past 180.
The skipper Murali Vijay (25, 16b, 4x4) smashed a few boundaries at the top, before Chris Morris had him caught brilliant by Carlos Brathwaite at midwicket. Hashim Amla, on his debut, looked a little nervous and the nerves told in the end via a run out, leaving the home team on 48/2 in 7 overs.
However, a crucial partnership between Stoinis and Saha of 58 brought Kings XI back on course, and with Saha taking over once Stoinis (52, 44b, 3x4, 2x6) fell and the likes of Glenn Maxwell (16, 11b, 1x6), David Miller (11, 6b, 1x4) and Axar Patel (16, 5b, 2x6) contributing towards the end, Kings XI put up a winning score.
