Mohali: Seamer Sam Curran’s hat trick did the trick for Kings XI Punjab as they pulled out a 14-run win over Delhi Capital, in the IPL here on Monday. Curran who was back in his second spell bowled three deliveries which was enough for Punjab to rattle the Delhi’s innings and notch up their third win in this edition of the championship.
Curran first had Harshal Patel caught behind by Lokesh Rahul, and coming in his third over, and the final over of the innings, he had Kagiso Rabada’s off stump uprooted and later in his second delivery clean bowled the last man Sandeep Lamichhane, to complete his hat-trick and his four-wicket haul.
Earlier, Chris Gayle’s absence at the top of the order did have an impact as Kings XI Punjab could only manage a par-score of 166 for nine.With the ‘Universe Boss’ ruled out due to back injury (lat strain), KXIP batsmen despite being good at times could never really take the Delhi bowling apart. Save David Miller (43 off 30 balls) and Sarfaraz Khan (39 off 29 balls), other batsmen didn’t have a good day against the trio of Chris Morris (3-30), Kagiso Rabada (2-32) and young Sandeep Lamichhane (2-27 in 4 overs).
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Morris was the pick of the bowlers, removing KXIP’s last-match hero KL Rahul (15) with an inswinger as he played across the line.Sam Curran (20, 10 balls) promoted up the order did hit a couple of lusty blows but Lamichhane got him with a flipper. Mayank Agarwal went for a non-existent single and couldn’t beat Shikar Dhawan’s direct throw at the non-striker’s end.
Miller and Sarfaraz however didn’t get bogged down as they added 62 in 6.4 overs carrying out a recovery process from 58 for three. While Miller attacked Lamichhane hitting him for a six over long-on, Sarfaraz played his now patent “closed eyes scoop shot” over keeper’s head. But lamicchhane had the last laugh as he edged one to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps while Miller offer the Capitals skipper an easy skier trying to hit Morris out of the park. In the end, Madeep Singh (29 no off 21 balls) took the team past 160-run mark.
Kings XI Punjab
KL Rahul lbw b Morris………………….15
S Curran lbw b Lamichhane………….20
M Agarwal run out (Dhawan)………..06
S Khan c †Pant b Lamichhane……..39
D Miller c †Pant b Morris……………..43
M Singh not out………………………….29
G Viljoen c Morris b Rabada…………01
R Ashwin (c) b Morris…………………..03
M Ashwin c A Khan b Rabada……….01
M Shami run out (Rabada)……………00
Mujeeb Ur Rahman not out…………..00
Extras (b-1, w-8)…………………………09
Total (For nine wkts)………………….166
FoW: 1-15, 2-36, 3-58, 4-120, 5-137, 6-146, 7-152, 8-153, 9-156
Bowling: K Rabada 4-0-32-2, C Morris 4-0-30-3, A Khan 3-0-30-0, S Lamichhane 4-0-27-2, H Patel 4-0-37-0, G Vihari 1-0-9-0
Delhi Capitals
P Shaw c L Rahul b R Ashwin 00
S Dhawan lbw b R Ashwin……………30
S Iyer (c) b H Viljoen……………………28
R Pant (wk) b M Shami………………..39
C Ingram c sub b S Curran…………..38
C Morris run out (R Ashwin)………….00
H Vihari b M Shami……………………..02
H Patel c L Rahul b S Curran……….00
K Rabada b S Curran………………….00
A Khan not out……………………………04
S Lamichhane b S Curran……………00
Extras: (lb-6, w-5):……………………….11
Total: (all out 19.2 overs)……………152
FoW: 0-1, 61-2, 82-3, 144-4, 144-5, 147-6, 148-7, 148-8, 152-9
Bowling: R Ashwin 4-0-31-2, S Curran 2.2-0-11-4, M Shami 4-0-27-2 H Viljoen 3-0-22-1, M Ur Rahman 4-0-36-0, M Ashwin 2-0-19-0