Star Metro - Axar Patel, Miller lead Delhi to record-breaking win over Punjab

A furious early onslaught by opener Priyansh Arya was the bedrock around which Punjab, coming off a hat-trick of losses, posted a commanding 210-5 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, where no total in excess of 200 had been chased down successfully previously.

Punjab seemed to have things under control when Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur reduced Delhi to 33 for three inside the first five overs.

Axar and Miller reignited their hopes with a 64-run stand for the fifth wicket, after which impact player Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari, playing his first game of the season, tore into the Punjab bowling to secure victory with six deliveries to spare.

Axar came into this game with just 44 runs from eight previous innings but found form when it mattered most, unleashing a flurry of boundaries that unsettled the pace-heavy Punjab attack.

With the ball becoming greasy, thanks to a damp outfield, the bowlers had trouble gripping it and Axar and Miller made merry, picking off fours and sixes at will to keep their team in the hunt.

Both fell not long after bringing up their respective fifties but Delhi weren’t done yet.

Ashutosh and Tiwari embarked on a six-hitting spree against the Australian duo of Ben Dwarshuis and Marcus Stoinis, and Auqib Nabi brought up a much-needed victory by slamming Thakur for a straight six.

"I have been saying that we are a good team, playing good cricket but not winning the crucial moments," said Axar.

"I am really happy with how we played and hopefully we continue playing like this.

Given the type of cricket we are playing and the bench strength we have, the future is in good hands. Youngsters standing up in such situations is a good sign."

Punjab had earlier shown no signs of the pressure they must have felt after three successive losses as Arya got the match off to a stunning start by driving the first ball, from Mitchell Starc, over point for six.

The Australian paceman conceded 22 in the first over, a sign of things to come with the Delhi bowlers going too full in looking for non-existent swing.

Once they pulled their lengths back a little, the quick bowlers were harder to hit and the Punjab innings wobbled briefly before skipper Shreyas Iyer and Cooper Connolly rode to their rescue with a stand of 83 for the third wicket.

Suryansh Shedge then weighed in with 21 off only eight deliveries, but Delhi’s resolve proved stronger as they staved off elimination with their fifth win of the season.

S.Belanger--SMC