IPL 2020: 5 talking points from DC v KXIP | 20th September

Delhi Capitals made a winning start to their IPL 2020 campaign with a thrilling win over Kings XI Punjab in the Super Over. Marcus Stoinis starred with the bat for DC, scoring 53 off just 21 balls and helping DC post a competitive total. Kagiso Rabada was brilliant with the ball in the Super Over and ensured that DC snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Chasing 158 to win, both the KXIP openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal got off to a cautious start, negotiating DC's new-ball attack. However, from 30-0, KXIP slumped to 35-4 and were in deep trouble, thanks to some reckless shots from the KXIP batsmen. At the halfway stage, KXIP were 55-5 and were far away from a win, with Mayank Agarwal the only hope left. But he stepped up when the team needed him to and played a brilliant knock of 89, almost taking his team to the doorstep of victory.

With just 1 run required of the last 3 balls, KXIP still couldn't manage to score and took the match into a Super Over. Kagiso Rabada was absolutely brilliant with the ball and ensured that KXIP scored only 2 runs in the Super Over. DC chased down the target easily and handed KXIP a defeat that they will remember for a long time.

Earlier, DC were asked to bat first and got off to the worst possible start, thanks to a fiery opening spell from Mohammed Shami. After a mix-up between Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw led to the former getting run-out, Shami was too hot to handle for both Shaw and Shimron Hetmyer as DC slumped to 13-3.

DC skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant then added crucial 73 runs for the fourth wicket and consolidated their innings. Just when they were about to take off, both fell in quick succession and DC were 100-6 at the end of 17 overs. But a fantastic cameo from Marcus Stoinis (53 runs off 21 balls) ensured that DC posted a competitive total of 157-8 in their 20 overs.

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IPL 2020: 5 talking points from DC v KXIP

1) Mohammed Shami's fiery spell of 3-15

Mohammed Shami's fiery spell of 3-15 rocked the Delhi Capitals and bothered them early in the IPL game

The pitch in Dubai had something in it for the faster bowlers and Mohammed Shami did not take much time in exploiting the pace and bounce in the wicket. He unsettled both the openers with his fantastic line and length.

After Dhawan's run-out, DC sent in Hetmyer at No.3 to take advantage of the fielding restrictions and counter-attack the KXIP bowlers. However, Shami was at his absolute best and was making the ball talk. Hetmyer couldn't quite cope up with Shami's searing pace and spooned a catch straight down the throat of short extra cover.

Prithvi Shaw tried to up the ante but he fell too, skying a ball that could only travel as far as mid-on. DC skipper Iyer and Pant had done all the hard work in getting the innings back on track by adding 73 runs for the third wicket.

But when Shami was brought back into the attack, a fantastic knuckleball led to the undoing of Iyer. It was Shami's brilliant spell of 3-15 that gave KXIP the upper hand, and DC were in all sorts of trouble to get a competitive score on the board.

2) Marcus Stoinis' game-changing 53

Marcus Stoinis hit a brilliant cameo of 53 off just 21 balls and helped DC post a competitive total of 157-8

Shami's brilliant spell along with some good bowling from the other KXIP bowlers had put DC in a spot of bother. They were 100-6 the end of 17 overs and even getting to a score round about the 130-mark looked to be an uphill task. But Marcus Stoinis stepped up and targeted the death bowlers Sheldon Cottrell and Chris Jordan.

Making brilliant use of the crease, he converted the yorkers into full-length deliveries and carved them for boundaries. He also peppered the leg-side boundary a number of times, especially against Jordan.

Stoinis played a brilliant cameo of 53 off just 21 balls which included 7 fours and 3 sixes at a magnificent strike rate of 252.38. It was his innings that completely turned the tide and DC ended up adding 57 runs in the last 3 overs, thus setting a competitive total of 157-8 on board in their 20 overs.

3) Mayank Agarwal's fighting 89

Mayank Agarwal played a brilliant knock of 89 and put KXIP in the driver's seat to win the game

KXIP were in all sorts of trouble at 55-5 with another 103 runs required from the last 10 overs. But Agarwal did not give up and put on a spirited display, taking calculative risks and playing good cricketing shots to keep his side in the game. Agarwal started slowly but ended up scoring 89 runs from 60 balls, including 7 fours and 4 sixes. KXIP from nowhere were in the driver's seat to win the game, requiring 13 runs from the last over with Agarwal timing the ball beautifully.

But one incident happened in the second last over which was going to decide the fortune of the game. Chris Jordan, while running a two, ran the first run short and thus one run was deducted from KXIP's total. This 1 run was going to be very costly for them and their worst dreams came true. Whether that was really a short run or not was debatable but as they say, umpire's decision, final decision.

4) Stoinis' eventful last over

Marcus Stoinis' eventful last over saw KXIP throw away a win that should have been theirs

With 13 runs required off the final over, Stoinis was handed the responsibility of trying to rescue DC from the jaws of defeat. But the over couldn't start any worse for DC as Agarwal scored 12 runs off the first 3 balls, leaving KXIP requiring just a solitary run off the final three balls.

With the next ball being a dot ball, the game got a bit interesting and Agarwal looked to go for the glory shot rather than just playing the ball along the ground. He got caught at deep point and KXIP now needed 1 run off the final ball. Jordan could do nothing more than just spoon the ball in the hands of Rabada at square leg and DC from an absolutely hopeless position, came back to take the game into the Super Over. That 1 short run in the previous over came back to haunt KXIP and they gave away an easy victory.

5) Rabada's brilliance in the Super Over

Kagiso Rabada was absolutely brilliant in the Super Over, ensuring that DC won the game comfortably

The ball was with Rabada to try and restrict the KXIP to as low a score as possible in the Super Over. After going for just two runs off the first ball, Rabada came back brilliantly to pick the wickets of both KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran to ensure that DC chased just 3 runs from 6 balls to win the game. That was done easily and Rabada's brilliance with the ball was what turned the game decisively in DC's favour.