England’s Mark Wood returned figures of 5-14 in a sensational spell as Lucknow Super Giants hammered Delhi Capitals by 50 runs on a super Saturday for fast bowlers in the IPL.
Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh starred for Punjab Kings in a seven-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a rain-hit first match of the day in Mohali.
Wood stood out with his wonderful display of fast bowling in his first Indian Premier League appearance for Lucknow to keep Delhi down to 143-9 in their chase of 194.
“It was Wood’s day today,” Lucknow skipper KL Rahul said. “It’s a dream for a fast bowler and a team. He made it count.”
West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers smashed 73 off 38 balls to guide Lucknow to 193-6 after being invited to bat first on their home ground and then Wood took over.
The express bowler, who consistently bowled close to 150 kmh (93 mph), cleaned up Prithvi Shaw and then bowled Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck with successive balls.
Sarfaraz Khan prevented the hat-trick but later fell to Wood when he was caught at fine leg.
Despite some resistance from skipper David Warner and Rilee Rossouw (30), the Delhi batting faltered.
“We talk about building partnerships but you can’t take it away from Wood,” said Warner. “He’s an exceptional bowler and he showed his true talent and experience tonight.”
Warner, who was made captain in the absence of Rishabh Pant, reached his fifty but fell to Avesh Khan for a laboured 56 off 48 balls.
A jersey of Pant, who was injured in a car crash in December and continues to recover from his injuries following surgery, was hung in the Delhi dugout as a mark of solidarity with the wicketkeeper-batsman.
– Big-buy Curran –
Earlier Mayers hammered seven sixes as he overcame a cautious start to tear into the opposition bowling with his big hitting.
Mayers, who was dropped on 14, notched up his fifty in 28 balls with a six and kept up the attack before being bowled by left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
Another West Indian, Nicholas Pooran, soon took charge and smashed two fours and three sixes in his 36 off 21 balls.
In the opening match of the day, Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa hammered 50 to set up Punjab’s opening win as they hunt for their maiden IPL title.
The left-handed Rajapaksa’s 32-ball knock and a late charge by big-buy Sam Curran, who hit an unbeaten 26, powered Punjab to 191-5 after being invited to bat first.
Arshdeep led the bowling charge with three wickets to restrict two-time champions Kolkata to 146-7 in 16 overs when rain stopped play and Punjab won by the DLS method.
Arshdeep was named player of the match and said he tried to be “unpredictable”.
Curran, who became the most expensive IPL player when Punjab paid $2.23 million for him in the December auction, proved his worth with a 17-ball blitz including two sixes.
Curran also got the key wicket of Andre Russell, for 35, with his left-arm seam bowling.
The 16th edition of the money-spinning league, which began in 2008 and has risen to become the world’s richest cricket tournament, runs till May 28 with 74 matches.
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