Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals, with zero IPL titles between them, have usually been associated with slapstick rather than heroics. But, in recent times, the meetings between them have served up some surreal clashes
2019 IPL
Kings XI: 166/9 bt Delhi Capitals: 152
The scoreboard doesn’t really say the full story on a night when Sam Curran ran riot. The Capitals were coasting along at one stage but went from 144/3 to 152 all out in the space of 17 balls under the Mohali lights. After Mohammad Shami sent back the well set Rishabh Pant for 39, Curran took four wickets in six balls (including a wide) for one run to finish with figures of 2.2-0-11-4.
2018 IPL
Kings XI: 143/8 bt Daredevils: 139/8
There is something about low-scoring thrillers. In a high stakes game, the visitors held their nerve to jump to the top of the table. And much of their nous was thanks to a collective effort from the men from Mohali, whose batsmen only made 143 on a good batting wicket. But Mujeeb Ur Rahman defended 17 in the final over against the well set Shreyas Iyer. He hit two boundaries but the teenager from Nepal kept his cool.
2017
Daredevils: 67 lost to Kings XI: 68/0
Some clashes are made memorable because of the extraordinary thrashings handed to one of the teams. This was one such match as the hosts, after choosing to bowl, scythed through a hapless Delhi side, who were having one of the worst IPL campaigns to date. In fact, their 67 all out was the worst ever in a completed IPL first innings, all thanks to Sandeep Sharma’s 4/20. In the second innings, Martin Guptill helped himself to a quickfire half-century to take his side to a 10-wicket win.
Daredevils: 166/7 lost to Kings XI: 167/4
0, 2, 0, 6, 4, 4, 6, 4, 1, 4, 6, 6, 4, 4, 0, out. KL Rahul’s destruction in just 16 balls, it was the fastest IPL 50, set the way for a comfortable chase in the end. But the destruction itself, orchestrated principally against Trent Boult, signalled Rahul’s burgeoning potential as a destroyer of T20 attacks. After his whirlwind, Karun Nair’s relatively sedate half-century guided the hosts home. Earlier, Mujeeb became the youngest IPL’s youngest player.