IPL 2016: Kings XI steal rare victory against Delhi

Brief scores : KXIP 181/5 in 20/20 overs (Saha 52(33), Stoinis 52(44), Morris 2/30) beat Delhi Daredevils 172/5 in 20/20 overs (de Kock 52(30), Samson 49(35), Stoinis 3/40) by 9 runs

Zaheer Khan won the toss and put Punjab into bat. “This looks a good pitch and should look better. It is better to bowl first and know what number you're chasing,” Zaheer said.

Kings XI started slow with both openers getting a hang of the wicket, and the first boundary came only in the 11th ball when Vijay sent Mohammad Shami to the ropes. He followed it up with two more fours before Stoinis finally broke his silence with a cut through backward point in the fifth ball of the third over. The duo kept their attacking instincts in check and looked set for a steady fifty, but Vijay was sent back with Brathwaite pulling off a stunning catch at midwicket. Debutant Hashim Amla had a forgettable debut getting himself run out after a single run off five balls. Stoinis combined with Saha and labored on to his fifty off 42 balls, but failed to capitalize further after he holed out to a Zaheer Khan cutter at long-on two runs later. But, he had set the platform for a good charge.

2. Saha picks up where Stoinis left

3. de Kock sets up the chase

Coming back from a one-match layoff, Quinton de Kock showed no sluggishness as he powered Delhi chase with a one-sided opening partnership. He took some time to settle down with his first four coming in the end of the third over, but quickly overtook his partner and raced away. Skipper Murali Vijay rotated Mohit Sharma, Axar Patel and Stoinis, but they all were dispensed to the ropes as de Kock raced to his half-century in 27 balls. By the time he was out, Delhi still needed 112 runs from 73 balls thanks to Sanju Samson's sluggish innings thus far.

Sanju Samson took over the responsibility once de Kock left, and from 17 off 19 balls, he raced to 49 off 35 balls. But Stoinis, who had removed de Kock, struck again to remove Samson just one run short of a deserved 50. Delhi needed just 61 off 39 balls with 9 wickets in hand, but the slide had begun. Karun Nair, who was having a miserable time in the middle, departed after Miller, who dropped him three balls back, made amends with a good catch at mid-on in the 16th over. Stoinis struck next to remove Billings, but with chasing experts like Brathwaite and Morris now in the midst, Delhi appeared to be in good hands. However, Brathwaite got out in the end of the 18th over with 29 runs needed off 14 runs. Mohit Sharma, who had gone run-a-ball so far, bowled the penultimate over, and incredibly suppressed any fireworks from Morris - he gave away just 3 runs in the over. Delhi went through the formality of the last over to lose by 9 runs eventually.