Highlights, IPL 2019, DC vs KXIP: Iyer, Dhawan star as Delhi beat Punjab to finally win a game at Kotla

DC vs KXIP, IPL 2019: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab IPL match from Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi. Seeking home comforts after multiple reverses at the Feroz Shah Kotla. It was the Dhawan-Iyer show for a major part of the chase with the 92-run stand taking care of Punjab's bowling. With the dew around, the bowling was not that great and the duo took full toll. Shikhar continued his good return to form, with his third 30-plus score in the last 4 innings. But as has been seen in the past, the hosts fell on the slippery road of collapse, losing 5/40 in 32 balls before skipper Iyer shepherded them through. To be honest, he kept his cool during the choke but was denied much strike. (Match Scorecard)

Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab: DC 166/5 beat KXIP (163/7)  by 5 wickets

12.01 IST: Almost making a habit of choking, are Delhi, aren't they? Another last-over finish. Didn't seem so when Delhi were 116/1 needing 48 under 7 overs. But Dhawan's wicket did set the cat free amongst the pigeons before caretaker Iyer took care that there was no brain fade.

11.54 IST: The match ends. Saturday is done. Another nerve-wracking double header. In the end, Delhi, who should have won, ended up winning but not without nearly losing it. Almost making a habit of choking, are Delhi, aren't they? Another last-over finish.

11.51 IST: Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! DELHI WIN BY 5 WICKETS! Curran lets in a short of a length ball on middle, Shreyas gets on top of the bounce and hammer-pulls it to deep mid-wicket for the winning runs. A rare win at home for them this season.

11.46 IST: Sam Curran to bowl the last over

11.43 IST: Sherfane Rutherford walks in at number 7, replacing Axar

11.42 IST: Mohammed Shami to Axar Patel, OUT! Axar Patel is run out! Hang on, hang on, this evening surely is not going to end in a straightforward manner. We will get some more thrill. Good length ball on middle and leg, Axar glances it behind square leg and wants the second run. But while turning back he collides with Shami and as a result is very late in reaching to the other end. The throw comes nice and straight to Rahul who does the rest. Shami is gesturing that it was not intentional from here and the replays confirm the same. The bowler was walking in his line and never tried to get in Axar's way.

11.42 IST: Axar Patel is the new man in

11.41 IST: Mohammed Shami to Colin Ingram, OUT! Bowled 'em! Shami bowls it full and straight in the line of the stumps, Ingram skips down the track to play a big shot but fails to connect. The stumps are shattered and 9 needed off 9 at this stage.

11.40 IST: Mohammed Shami to Shreyas Iyer, FIFTY! Short in length and on off, pulled in front of square leg for a run. 12th Indian T20 League fifty for Shreyas Iyer.

11.38 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Colin Ingram, FOUR! Colin Ingram has pressed on the accelerator. Viljoen tries to follow the batsman down the leg side with a fullish ball, Ingram still manages to make room and drill his drive through covers. 13 from the over, 10 needed more off 12 balls.

11.37 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Colin Ingram, FOUR! 14 needed more! Short in length and angling into the batsman, Ingram swivels on the back foot, lifts his back leg and pulls it behind square leg for a boundary.

11.36 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Colin Ingram, FOUR! Too full in length around off, Colin Ingram does well to open the face of his bat as he squeezes it out through backward point for a glorious boundary.

11.28 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Colin Ingram, FOUR! No one in the deep and it has gone to the boundary. Colin Ingram stands back to a shortish ball outside off and gives it the full whack of his bat. Connects well and it goes over mid-wicket for a one-bounce boundary. 8 from the over, 28 needed off 24 balls.

11.24 IST: Colin Ingram is the next batsman in

11.23 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Rishabh Pant, OUT! Pant holes out cheaply! Is there some life still left in this match? A good length ball on off, angling in, Pant tries to slog it across the line but fails to middle his shot properly. 36 needed off 29 balls.

11.21 IST: Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Well played from the Delhi skipper! First he tricks the bowler by showing his back leg and gets the bowler confused. Shreyas then picks up the length early which is on the shorter side around off and slices it over backward point for a boundary.

11.18 IST: Sam Curran to Rishabh Pant, ​FOUR! FOUR! Misfield from Gayle! A slower short ball around middle and leg, Pant gets on top of the bounce and helps his pull shot towards short fine leg. Gayle puts in a dive but only manages to parry it behind for a boundary. Curran is not impressed.

11.13 IST: Strategic time-out! Punjab have managed to send Dhawan back but are still behind in this match. They need wickets in a heap to have any semblance of chance. Shreyas Iyer is going quite sensibly but will need support from the other end. We have seen Delhi throwing away games from a good position. So, Punjab can still believe. Sam Curran is back on.

11.12 IST: Rishabh Pant is the new man in

11.11 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Shikhar Dhawan, OUT! Dhawan departs with 48 still needed. But he has done his job with a fine knock and a superb partnership with his skipper.

11.09 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Punjab have failed all evening to create any pressure.Yet another delivery on the shorter side around off, Dhawan pulls it with authority behind square leg and fetches a boundary.

11.08 IST: Hardus Viljoen is back on.

11.07 IST: Dhawan gets the crowd going. R Ashwin stops in his followthrough and Dhawan has to get back in a hurry. In the previous over, he had to do so against Murugan. Jokingly, Dhawan sits down on a knee, protesting with a smile!

11.06 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Shreyas Iyer, SIX! High and handsome! Straight over the bowler's head. Flatter ball on off, Iyer shimmies down the track, brings his bottom hand into play and clubs it down the ground for a biggie.

11.01 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Shikhar Dhawan, FIFTY! Fifty for Dhawan, his 35th in the League! A googly, turning away from the batsman, Shikhar taps it down in front of point and pinches a single. The fielder attacks the ball but fails to do much with it.

10.50 IST: Sam Curran is back on

10.49 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Nice execution from Dhawan. Flighted delivery, full and around leg, Dhawan brings out the reverse sweep and nails it behind point. Mandeep puts in a dive but to no avail as he screams away to the fence.

10.45 IST: Strategic time-out! Delhi are cruising at the moment on the back of the current partnership. 84 needed off 66 balls and both Dhawan and Iyer are looking in fine touch. Punjab are not helped by the dew but they have not bowled too well either. They need some inspiration in the field to make a comeback. Here is Murugan Ashwin...

10.42 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! EDGY FOUR! A well-disguised carrom ball, gripping and spinning away, Iyer edges his attempted shot through the line and it speeds down to third man for a boundary.

10.38 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Shreyas Iyer, NO BALL! Interesting. Very interesting. What is even more interesting is that neither the bowler nor the skipper are complaining. Looks like Murugan has been caught in his own trap.

10.37 IST: What happened there? Murugan Ashwin is in his delivery stride and completes it too but releases the ball very late in his own half and then it rolls outside the pitch. The umpire spots that and has awarded a Free Hit...

10.36 IST: Murugan Ashwin has the ball now for KXIP

10.29 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Be it a young man or a seasoned campaigner, no one will be spared. A long hop by Ashwin on middle, Dhawan pulls it mercilessly through mid-wicket for a boundary.

10.28 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin is into the attack now to bowl the last over of the Powerplay.

10.27 IST: Harpreet Brar to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! 17 runs off Harpreet's first over! The debutant really got a harsh reality check of this demanding League. He drops it short and outside off, Shreyas camps back and packs a punch through covers for a boundary.

10.26 IST: Harpreet Brar to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Shreyas Iyer is very strong in that area. We saw him playing plenty of those shots with great success in a game against Bangalore. Slightly short and around off, Iyer immediately rocks back and plays a full-blooded square cut through backward point.

10.25 IST: Harpreet Brar to Shikhar Dhawan, SIX! Dhawan shows no mercy on the young man. Receives a full delivery wide outside off, he steps down the track and smashes it way over long off for a biggie. 

10.24 IST: Change in bowling. Debutant Harpreet Brar is introduced into the attack.

10.23 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! No stopping this one. Yet another short delivery wide outside off, Dhawan exercises his arms and slaps it over point for back-to-back boundaries.

10.22 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Edgy! Shortish and outside off, Dhawan rushes down the track and throws his bat at it. It takes the outside edge and speeds down to third man for a run.

10.18 IST: Skipper Shreyas Iyer walks in next. 140 needed off 101 balls.

10.17 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Shikhar Dhawan, OUT! Mandeep hits the bull's eye and Dhawan has sold Shaw a dummy down the river. A full length ball outside off, Dhawan plays an uppish drive towards extra cover and sets off for a run. Seeing that Shaw responds and comes running down the track. But all of a sudden Dhawan stutters and stops before asking Prithvi to return. Poor young man tries to turn back and reach his crease but before that Mandeep Singh comes up with a brilliant direct hit to find him well short. He just had one stump to aim at and voila, he hits.

10.13 IST: Mohammed Shami to Shikhar Dhawan, FOUR! Boom! No stopping this one once it pierced the gap on the off side. Shami offers plenty of width on this delivery, Dhawan latches onto it and smacks it through extra cover.

10.10 IST: Mohammed Shami to Prithvi Shaw, SIX! A proper hook shot! Shami digs in a short delivery, well-directed at the head of the batsman. Shaw takes on the challenge of hooking it across the line, makes decent connection too and sends it packing over square leg for a biggie.

21.45 IST: Kagiso Rabada to Harpreet Brar, SIX!

21.43 IST: Kagiso Rabada to Ravichandran Ashwin, OUT! Rabada strikes on the first ball of the final over. Short and around off, cutting in, cramping the batsman for room, Ashwin, looking to back away and pull is cramped. He goes through with the shot but only manages to make feeble connection. The ball barely carries to his counterpart at long on but Shreyas Iyer charges in and dives forward to take a clean catch. For some reason, Ashwin stands his ground and waits for the confirmation that the catch is clean. Is not kept waiting for too long as the replays come in pretty quickly and convincingly.

21.37 IST: Ishant Sharma to Harpreet Brar, FOUR! PUMMELED! This kid can bat. Short and wide outside off, Harpreet crashes it through the covers and beats the sweeper in the deep. 

21.34 IST: Kagiso Rabada to Ravichandran Ashwin, FOUR! Not a bad shot at all from the skipper. Short and outside off, Ashwin backs away and swats a pull wide of mid on for a boundary!

21.30 IST: Kagiso Rabada is the new bowler for DC

21.29 IST: Axar Patel to Harpreet Brar, FOUR! Not a bad way to get yourself going in your first game. Short and outside off, Harpreet rocks back and punches it through the covers to get his first runs in T20 itself, leave alone Indian T20 League.

21.26 IST: Harpreet Brar, the debutant, walks out to the middle.

21.25 IST: Axar Patel to Mandeep Singh, OUT! Stumped by a mile. Smart bowling from Axar. Mandeep telegraphed a month in advance that he is going to come down the track. Patel received that telegraph but treated it like a telegram. Fired it outside off and a bit wider as well. Singh swings wildly but misses. Rishabh Pant behind makes no mistake. So the last recognized batsman also departs. Can Punjab get to at least 160 from here?

21.18 IST: Amit Mishra to Mandeep Singh, FOUR! Bad bowling. 'What is this?' asks an angry Kevin Pietersen on air. Short and too much width on offer outside off. Mandeep hangs back, then reaches out and slaps it over cover for a boundary!

21.17 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Mandeep Singh, DROPPED BY RABADA! Lamichhane delivers it short and around leg, Mandeep goes deep inside the crease and pulls it behind square leg. Rabada in the deep initially looks to go back but then dives forward to attempt for the catch. It appears that he has spilled it. A single taken.

21.15 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Ravichandran Ashwin, FOUR! That's not the length to bowl on his surface. It's on the shorter side and skidding off the surface too, Ashwin hangs on the back foot and smacks it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

21.12 IST: Amit Mishra to bowl from the other end

21.10 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin is the new man in

21.08 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Sam Curran, OUT! Two wickets in the over and Delhi have made a fantastic comeback now. Lamichhane is converting his miserable evening into a superb one. A googly outside off, holding up a bit onto the batsman, Curran is very early into his shot and pushes it back aerially to the bowler. Sandeep makes no mistake and now Punjab are in real trouble.

21.05 IST: Sam Curran is the new man in 

21.04 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, OUT! That is a terrific display of team effort! Lamichhane was gone on the previous ball but Gayle is gone on this one. Sensational from Ingram. The newly become father has done something really special. Full and outside off, Gayle gets down and looks to play another slog sweep. This is not cleanly connected though. The ball goes towards deep mid-wicket where Colin Ingram steadies himself under the catch. However, there is more to come.

21.01 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, SIX! POUNDED! Lamichhane is on and Lamichhane is gone. Full and outside off, a bit of flight, Gayle gets down on a knee and slogs it miles over mid-wicket!

21.00 IST: Michael Slater is having a chat with Delhi's scouting head, Pravin Amre. Amre says that this is the way the Kotla wicket played last season as well. Adds that some days, dew sets in and on those days, the pitch gets better to bat on. Cites tonight's example, saying that it does not look like it is a turning wicket. Hopes to get Chris Gayle out quickly and then bounce back into the game. Reckons that the batting unit should not plan for too much as plenty of runs can be scored in the last few overs. Feels 150-160 can be defended on this track. Sees the Powerplay batting in their last match against Mumbai as a positive and is happy that Shikhar Dhawan is amongst the runs. On the coaching staff's role, Amre says that every person has been given a big amount of freedom and praises Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting for constantly guiding Shreyas Iyer.

20.53 IST: Sherfane Rutherford comes on to bowl now.

20.47 IST: Axar Patel to Mandeep Singh, SIX! Third big hit in the span of 7 balls. This is a lovely shot. Floated outside off, Mandeep reaches out and then goes inside out. The ball lands beyond the extra cover boundary!

20.46 IST: Amit Mishra to Chris Gayle, SIX! Bad bowling. Has dew come into play already? A short ball outside off, Gayle goes back and pulls it with aplomb over mid-wicket!

20.45 IST: Amit Mishra to Chris Gayle, FIFTY! Full on leg, Gayle sweeps it to square leg for a run. The entire Kotla stands up and applauds. Yet another half century for the Universe Boss. Can he double the same?

20.44 IST: Amit Mishra to Chris Gayle, SIX! Into orbit! That has slipped out of the hands, one would imagine. A full toss, around off, Gayle just clobbers it miles over mid-wicket!

20.41 IST: Mandeep Singh walks in.

20.41 IST: Axar Patel to David Miller, OUT! A wicket out of nowhere. Miller holes out. Tossed up, outside off, Miller comes down the track and looks to go over the top. Rather, he just tries to chip it over the infield. But the ball takes the toe end of the bat and goes only as far as deep mid-wicket. Prithvi Shaw is stationed at the ropes and takes it comfortably. Probably, a shot which could have been avoided. A wicket on the very first ball for Axar.

20.40 IST: Axar Patel is the new bowler for DC

20.39 IST: Amit Mishra to Chris Gayle, SIX! HUMONGOUS! Gayle ends the over in style. Short and outside off, the Universe Boss rocks back and pulls it miles over long on!

20.35 IST: Amit Mishra is the new bowler

20.32 IST: Strategic time-out! It's been an explosive beginning from Chris Gayle but in the process, he has lost two partners as well. Delhi will be satisfied with the way things have progressed so far but with Gayle in the middle, they just cannot afford to relax.

20.31 IST: Ishant Sharma to Chris Gayle, FOUR! The Gateway of India at the Kotla. Prithvi Shaw the culprit. Outside off, on a length, Gayle punches this through cover and point. Shaw dives to his right but is late and the ball sneaks through.

20.26 IST: Kagiso Rabada to David Miller, FOUR! LUCKY FOUR! Full and speared into the batsman at 151 kph, Miller brings his bat down to keep it out but it takes the inside edge and runs wide of short fine leg for a boundary. Spoils a wicket maiden for Kagiso. Still, a very impressive over by the South African.

20.26 IST: David Miller out in the middle

20.25 IST: Kagiso Rabada to Mayank Agarwal, OUT! Four dot balls and Mayank succumbs under pressure. Very ordinary from the young man. He looked quite restless during his short stay. Sometimes you need to respect the rhythm of the bowler, if not the bowler. Sharp delivery, it's banged into the batsman, Agarwal steps ahead to play the pull shot but is hurried on by the pace. Ends up towering it in the air off the top edge and Sherfane Rutherford runs forward and across from cover-point to complete the catch. Two early blows inside the Powerplay for Punjab.

20.22 IST: Kagiso Rabada is the new ball for DC

20.21 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, FOUR! 16 from the over and Gayle is roaring now. A googly on the shorter side outside off, Chris camps back and muscles his punch shot through cover-point.

20.20 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Lamichhane is definitely feeling the pressure. Lets out a fuller length ball down the leg side, Gayle whips it across the line and sends it to the fine leg fence in no time.

20.19 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Drilled down the ground! Too full in length and on middle, Gayle clears his front leg and bludgeons it back past the bowler. Probably it brushed Lamichhane's hands but it's travelling and there is no way he will catch those. Will still go down as a dropped catch though.

20.18 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Wrong line from Sandeep and Gayle has not spared him. Short and down the leg side, further spinning down, Gayle turns inside the crease and pulls it behind square leg for a boundary.

20.15 IST: Ishant Sharma to Chris Gayle, SIX! Into the night sky! The monster has decided to get going now. A knuckle delivery by Ishant but the line and length is not quite there. It's around off and Gayle opens his arms to dismiss it over long on for a maximum.

20.15 IST: Ishant Sharma to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Cheeky! Ishant angles across a length delivery outside off, slower in pace, Gayle waits for it quietly on the back foot and then at the very last moment, he opens the face of his bat and runs it down past the diving short third man fielder.

20.11 IST: Mayank Agarwal is the new man in

20.08 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Lokesh Rahul, OUT! Rahul's back leg is on the line, nothing behind and he has to walk back. This is a body blow to Punjab as they lose an in-form batsman. The boy from Nepal now responds to KL's welcome in the best possible manner. Beauty of a delivery, this. Nice drift on this leg spinner. It lands around off and Rahul stretches forward to defend it. But the ball spins away to beat the outside edge and Pant breaks the stumps in a flash. They appeal and the square leg umpire takes it upstairs.

20.08 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR! Well played! A googly around off, turning back in, Rahul goes down and across before sweeping it behind square leg for a boundary.

20.07 IST: Sandeep Lamichhane to Lokesh Rahul, SIX! High and long! A flighted delivery, landing very full in the line of the stumps, Rahul moves back to make room and hoists it over long off for a biggie. A nice welcome to the young man from Nepal by KL!

20.07 IST: It's Sandeep Lamichhane to bowl his leggies. A slip in place.

20.04 IST: Ishant Sharma to Lokesh Rahul, A little bit of miscommunication but no harm done. Length ball on off, Rahul walks forward and across to work it in front of square leg. He steps out for a run, Gayle also responds, both are ball-watching and eventually they decide to abort the plan as Dhawan releases his throw at the striker's end.

19.59 IST: We are all set to begin. Out come Chris Gayle and KL Rahul for Punjab. Ishant Sharma will start the proceedings for Delhi.

19.44 Playing XIs:

19.36 IST: TOSS - Shreyas Iyer has won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Brief Preview: The wicket at the Ferozeshah Kotla once again came back to haunt Delhi Capitals and stop their three-match winning momentum on Thursday. And Kings XI Punjab will look to feed off that very advantage when they come to the Kotla on Saturday with some quality spinners in a side led by none other than R. Ashwin.

With the likes of Mujeeb ur Rahman and Murugan Ashwin in the side to back skipper Ashwin, KXIP will be relishing the opportunity of playing on a low and slow Kotla wicket. Not to forget the experience of Mohammed Shami in the pace bowling department and the exuberance of Arshdeep Singh.

For Delhi, it will be about replicating their away form on home conditions as the free-flowing stroke-makers in Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant have found it very difficult to adapt to the slow nature of the Kotla wicket.