How Kuldeep Yadav helped Delhi bungle Punjab for just 115

In a match in which the wickets were shared and runs scored in a hurry by the team batting second, it is difficult to pick out one single star performer. But, Delhi Capitals left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav stood out while picking up two wickets for 24 runs in his four overs, picking up his victims in his final over, those of Kagiso Rabada and Nathan Ellis in the space of three deliveries.

There were other bowlers who were more economical than Yadav. Left-arm medium-pacer Khaleel Ahmed took two for 21 in his four overs, off-spinner Lalit Yadav, two for 11 in his two, and left-arm spinner Axar Patel, two for 10 in his four.

But Yadav stood out for the manner in which he took the two wickets in the middle overs and also contained the flow of runs with only PBKS’ Jitesh Sharma picking him for a couple of boundaries, dismissing the left-arm wrist spinner’s loose deliveries.

However, Yadav was deservingly rewarded for the tidy spell that he bowled, sending down only three loose deliveries that Sharma despatched for fours.

Having gone for 21 runs in his first three overs, Yadav took his first wicket when left-handed Kagiso Rabada was foxed by one that went the other way. Going for a drive, the South African was beaten and bowled through the gap. After Australian Nathan Ellis, playing his first match of the year, defended the first ball he faced, he was bowled for a second-ball ‘duck’ with a perfect wrist spin that just about angled in to disturb the furniture.

Yadav’s love affair with Brabourne Stadium continued on the day. In his previous two visits to this ground, he picked up three for 18 against Mumbai Indians and four for 35 against Kolkata Knight Riders to star in his team’s victories.

The 27-year-old unorthodox bowler from Uttar Pradesh jumped to second in the list for Purple Cap, taking his tally of wickets to 13, four behind the leading wicket-taker, his wrist spin partners in the Indian team, Yuzvendra Chahal (17).

Yadav’s bowling on the day was just one vital contribution in the collective team effort with him brilliantly complementing the miserly spells from Axar Patel and Lalit Yadav as the Delhi Capitals bowlers choked Punjab Kings batting line up to skittle them out for 115, making it easy for their batsmen to score the required runs in a flash for a nine-wicket victory.