Tag : Shardul

Mumbai: Spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were inspirational in the middle overs even as Shardul Thakur complemented the duo with a career-best IPL figures as Delhi Capitals inched closer towards play-off qualifications beating Punjab Kings by 17 runs in an IPL match in Navi Mumbai on Monday. Invited to bat, DC posted 159 for 7 courtesy Mitchell Marsh's 48-ball 63 and then restricted Punjab to 142 for 9. Thakur (4/36), Axar (2/14) and Kuldeep (2/14) shared eight wickets among them while Anrich Nortje got the important wicket of Jonny Bairstow. It was between overs 6-14 where Delhi won the game as Kuldeep and Axar cumulatively gave away only 28 runs in seven overs with four wickets between them. With this win, DC jumped a place to fourth with 14 points from 13 matches. Royal Challengers Bangalore (14 from 13 matches) have the same points as DC but they were pushed down to fifth spot as they have -0.323 NRR compared +0.255 of Delhi. Punjab, who remained at seventh spot with 12 points from 13 matches, are virtually out of reckoning for a play-offs berth as they also have a -0.043 net run rate. Chasing 160 for a win, Punjab suffered a batting collapse after a good start. Jitesh Sharma (44 of 34 balls) and Rahul Chahar (25 not out off 24 balls) made a late fight back with a 41-run stand -- highest in their run chase -- for the eighth wicket but that proved to be too little too late. Punjab began on a promising note with in-form Jonny Bairstow punishing Khaleel Ahmed and Nortje with fours and sixes to take his side to 27 for no loss at the end of third over. But from there the collapse began as five Punjab batsmen went back to the hut as they were reduced to for 5 at the end of the eighth over. Bairstow (28 off 15 balls) fell to Nortj ...