Live Cricket Score - PBKS vs DC, Match 29, IPL 2021

DC win by a canter

Hetmyer comes in and smashes two sixes and a four to end Punjab's misery. Meredith then bowled successive wides to gift the win and DC continue their ascendancy. This has been an excellent performance. Remember, they don't have Iyer, they don't have Ashwin, they haven't used Nortje this season. Rahane has been warming the benches and still these guys have been amazing. Dhawan once again took on the responsibility and batted until the end to see his side home. Shaw gave them an amazing start as well. PBKS will be disappointed with the result but without KL, it was always going to be hard.

A wicket....but too late?

Pant wants to finish this soon and tries to hit the ball out of the park. The bat slips though and he doesn't get a good connection. In fact, the bat flies away. The top edge is easily caught by the skipper. PBKS aren't really celebrating because they know a miracle is needed from here. DC need 20 from 20.

Another day, another 50

He has been in some blazing form in the IPL in recent times and Dhawan brings up another fifty tonight. He has played wisely and just when it appeared he woul be content taking the singles, Dhawan unleashes himself on Bishnoi to smash a six and a four to bring up his half-century. DC need 39 from 34 now.

Smith falls

He didn't really take off tonight and even though the game is still under their control, Smith wants to break the shackles. But he only manages to mistime the shot and is caught near the boundary. Capitals need 56 from 42 balls with 8 wickets in hand. They should complete this chase from here on but stranger things have happened in this format before.

Harpreet strikes

If you get Kohli, AB and Maxwell in the same game, you are bound to be confident. And that shows here as he gets rid of the dangerman Shaw first ball after the PP. PBKS will be pumped up with that wicket but they need Dhawan back in the pavilion early as well.

DC off to a flier

Shaw is doing his thing and Dhawan is more than happy to give him the strike. This template is very familiar now as Delhi Capitals make a flying start once again in the powerplay. They have already knocked off 63 runs in these six overs and now they are definitely the favourites. PBKS badly need a wicket to force their way back into this contest.

Unlucky Mayank

What a terrific knock this was from the skipper. He absolutely hammered Avesh in the final over and has unfortunately finished one short of a century. He walks back unbeaten on 99 but he will be a proud man. PBKS finish with 166/6. 103 runs were scored in the final 10 overs. This man scored more than 50% of the total and has given his side a fighting chance now. They still need to come out and remove the DC openers soon.

Rabada has 3

Finally a productive game with the ball for Rabada after a long time. Even though Mayank keeps going strong at one end, DC chip away with the wickets at the other. Jordan miscues one now and gets a top edge, this ball goes miles up in the air before getting caught. Harpreet comes into the attack.

Timely strike

Shahrukh Khan can be a dangerous player at the death but before he opens up, DC get rid of him. Avesh Khan is back into the attack and does the damage straightaway. Shahrukh is beaten for pace and miscues one. Hetmyer takes a catch running backwards.

Crucial 50

Mayank is slowly opening up and in the process, he helps himself to a crucial fifty. PBKS needed this badly from their stand-in skipper tonight. They will need more from him now in these final five overs.

Horrible mix-up

That was the last thing Punjab needed. Mayank and Hooda get into a horrible mix-up and both the batsmen end up at the bowler's end. But Axar has dislodged the bails before they can enter the crease and as a result, the third umpire confirms that Hooda will have to leave. PBKS are in deep trouble.

Malan's misery ends

He just never got going tonight on his maiden IPL outing. Dawid Malan was struggling for momentum and in his attempt to push the scoring rate, he perishes. Axar Patel bowls at leg stump and Malan misses the slog to lose his leg stump. Deepak Hooda is the next man in. PBKS badly need some big hits from this man.

PBKS struggle

They are 63/2 at the halfway mark. PBKS haven't lost any more wickets but the runs aren't coming as well. As we have known for a while, this isn't really an easy wicket to bat. But PBKS still need to bat well to post 150 from here.

Stumps flying

Gayle didn't expect that at all. He just pulled Rabada for a massive six and he was waiting for a short ball next. However, Rabada wants to go full and misses his length. This is a high full toss bowled at a speed over 140 and Gayle just didn't know how to face that. It came at an awkward height and Gayle in his attempt to defend it missed the ball completely only to see his stumps rearranged. Poor start for PBKS. Dawid Malan has walked out to bat to make his bow in the IPL. PBKS are 39/2 after the powerplay.

Rabada strikes

Stop the press!! Rabada has a wicket. He has struggled for wickets this season given his reputation in IPL over the years and it has taken him only 3 balls to strike tonight. Prabhsimran Singh did end up wasting deliveries in the powerplay and hence brought out a desperate shot. But Smith judges the mistimed shot to perfection at mid off to complete the catch. Gayle is the new man in.

Playing XIs:

Punjab Kings:Prabhsimran Singh(w), Mayank Agarwal(c), Chris Gayle, Dawid Malan, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Chris Jordan, Riley Meredith, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami

Delhi Capitals:Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Steven Smith, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan

TOSS: Delhi Capitals opt to bowl. Punjab Kings, led by Mayank Agarwal tonight, bring in Dawid Malan for Nicholas Pooran

Summary of the previous clash

This isn't the first time they are facing each other this season. In a high-scoring game couple of weeks ago, Delhi Capitals easily chased down 196 with 10 balls left in their innings. PBKS openers registered half-centuries and set the platform for the big score but Dhawan was in his elements once the chase began. Shaw dazzled briefly scoring 32 off 17 but it was Dhawan who did the bulk of the damage scoring 92 off just 49 deliveries before Marcus Stoinis and Lalit Yadav finished proceedings. It is highly unlikely that we will witness another game full of runs this time around.

Build up

KL Rahul mentioned before the RCB game that his side is used to finding themselves in delicate positions midway through the tournament. 2021 hasn't been different. Even a change in name hasn't changed their fortunes with inconsistency continuing to plague them. Punjab Kings began their campaign with a thrilling win over Rajasthan Royals but followed it up with three straight losses. Even though they have now won two of their last three games, it is imperative they don't let this momentum slip and pick up another win. A comfortable win over the high-flying RCB just less than 48 hours ago would have given them plenty of confidence and tonight, they will have to get on top of another in-form team.

The task though only gets tougher for PBKS following the news earlier today on their skipper. KL has been taken to hospital to undergo surgery for acute appendicitis. That's a killer blow for the franchise to lose their best batsman and leader. How are they going to cope with his absence and who will lead them tonight remains to be seen. Whoever it is, they certainly got huge shoes to fill in. Delhi Capitals on the other hand may have lost Shreyas Iyer to an injury before the tournament began, R Ashwin had to withdraw as well after a few games in order to be with his family but their absence hasn't been felt.

The openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw are in dazzling form and that middle order has been largely untested. Kagiso Rabada hasn't even been amongst the wickets this season and they have still managed to get the job done. Ishant Sharma's return would have pleased the camp but it is Avesh Khan who has stepped up as DC's bowling trumpcard. Will he continue to impress? Can Harpreet Brar prove that the performance against RCB wasn't a one-off? And can Nicholas Pooran finally buy a run? Plenty of questions in store for us tonight.