Kings XI Punjab drafts an inspiring comeback script

By K.R. Nayar

From the bottom of the table, they have risen to beat the big three teams in the league, and are set for more

A team with players determined to win and wanting to contribute together towards a victory will emerge triumphant whatever the opponent does. Kings XI Punjab’s impressive victory over table-toppers Delhi Capitals was the result of a united effort. Only a week ago, Punjab was at the bottom of the table with nearly everyone writing them off. They were seen as a team with stars that do not shine.

Punjab seems to be now drafting an inspiring comeback script  They have beaten not only Delhi but defending champions Mumbai and the formidable Royal Challengers Bangalore. Even a century from Delhi’s opener Shikhar Dhawan, who created IPL history by becoming the first batsman to hit back to back centuries, could not stop them.

Dhawan’s century went in vain purely due to the rest of the Delhi batsmen’s inability to bat around him. A team that was sitting pretty at 100 for 2 in 13 overs should have scored around 175 runs. When Dhawan scored 106 off 61 balls, his team-mates who batted around scored just 58 runs in 59 balls. Punjab’s bowling led by Mohammad Shami restricted Delhi to 164 for 5 forcing Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer to admit after the match that his team was at least ten runs short.

For Delhi which has effective bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, finest spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, and Axar Patel, and the accurate Marcus Stoinis, this total should have been defended. They assumed that Punjab, which has the most explosive batting line up, may falter. But assumptions fail if the opponents are determined to rectify their defects and display their skills.

Punjab did lose their opener Mayank Agarwal, their consistent skipper K L Rahul, and the dangerous Chris Gayle after a cameo, and seemed to be heading towards a defeat. But Nicholas Pooran crushed Delhi’s hopes through a breezy 53 off 28 balls to once again prove that he is one of the world’s finest destroyers of bowling. He even made the aggressive Glenn Maxwell play second fiddle.  By the time the partnership between Maxwell and Pooran ended, Punjab was in striking distance of victory. Delhi’s poor fielding also assisted Punjab’s race to the target with one over to spare.

Having beaten the big three in their comeback show, Punjab has sent a loud warning to other teams to watch out for them. Their wins have added more spice to the race for the slots in the play-off stage. Like Dhawan's historical IPL feat, we can expect many more to be created as the race intensifies.