Delhi Capitals spinner Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t have the best opening day in the IPL after he walked off the field after just bowling an over in which he picked two massive wickets, conceding just two runs. Just moments after he suffered a suspected shoulder dislocation when he tried to stop a run.
Ashwin’s first dismissal was Karun Nair followed by Nicholas Pooran’s first duck before putting an unnecessary dive to save a run from the last delivery of his over. Ashwin looked in severe pain as he went off with Delhi Capital’s physio Patrick Farhard using his jersey as a temporary sling.
Chasing a moderate target, Kings XI Punjab got through a flying start with KL Rahul’s few eye-catching shots but as the game progressed, Mohit Sharma dismissed the Punjab skipper, a series of wickets followed with Ashwin grabbing two wickets in his over and suddenly Punjab were pushed on the backfoot.
A solid batting display from Mayank Agarwal almost got them through the line but the last three balls of the 20th over from Marcus Stoinis were full of drama as Agarwal threw his wicket followed by the wicket of Chris Jordan and the game went to a super over.
Delhi Capitals without taking anything for granted made full use of the second chance they got to get back in the game and a phenomenal over by Kagiso Rabada helped Delhi to acquire a target of just three runs in the super over. Delhi had no problems chasing the simple target and Punjab were left with sorrow as they gave away a game that was very much theirs.
For Ashwin, things were ruined in the sixth over’s final delivery where he experienced a bad landing. Said that. The DC captain Shreyas Iyer gave an update on the injury by saying that former Kings Xl Punjab captain has said he will be ready to play the next game, also added the final decision will have to be taken by the physio of the team.
“It was important for us to get wickets, since the total was small, and I knew if I saved KG’s over for the end it would be helpful. Ashwin’s over was a key one, and it changed the game in our favor, but that’s what T20 cricket is. Ashwin says he’ll be ready for the next game, but in the end the physio is going to decide. Axar was fantastic with those middle overs too, stifling the runs in the middle after Ashwin was injured. We generally go by left-right combination in the team build-up. The way Stoinis assessed the wicket and played that innings was commendable,’- reported the DC captain after the match.
Cover Credits: NDTVSports
