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Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant attributed Ishant Sharma's injury as a pivotal factor in their loss against the Punjab Kings during an IPL 2024 match at the new stadium in Mullanpur, Punjab. Ishant Sharma, making his comeback after 15 months, played a crucial role by dismissing PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan and inflicting Jonny Bairstow's run-out before sustaining an injury in the sixth over.
Pant expressed, "Ishant's injury was clearly evident because we were already one player short due to our batting struggles." The injury forced Pant to utilize Mitchell Marsh's full quota, which resulted in 52 runs conceded. Additionally, Sumit Kumar had to bowl a couple of overs, disrupting DC's original plan to use Mukesh Kumar as an Impact Player for added cushioning during the defense.
The unforeseen situation led to Abishek Porel being brought in as an extra batter after DC's batting collapse. Porel's impactful innings, scoring 32 off 10 balls, helped DC reach a total of 174. Pant praised Porel's contribution, emphasizing his potential impact in the ongoing season.
Despite Pant's return to cricket with an 18 off 13 balls, he acknowledged feeling nervous but expressed satisfaction with his overall return. Reflecting on the match, Pant remarked that DC had a par score, but Ishant's injury disadvantaged their bowling attack, impacting their chances. Pant credited Punjab Kings' performance in chasing down the target with four wickets in hand and acknowledged the learning experience for DC.
In conclusion, Ishant Sharma's untimely injury posed challenges for Delhi Capitals, impacting their bowling strategy and contributing to their loss against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024.
