Englishman Sam Billings (60) led the assault and South African Chris Morris (3 for 23) plotted the collapse as Delhi Daredevils thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 51 runs to chalk out their second straight win in the IPL 2017 at Feroz Shah Kotla here on Saturday.

This was Punjab’s second successive defeat having earlier won two matches. Delhi have won two of their three matches having lost the opener to RCB.

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Delhi skipper Zaheer Khan won the toss and opted to bat and his team mates justified his decision as they piled on massive 188 for 6. Punjab chasing 189 for a win could score only 137 for nine in their allotted 20 overs.

The visitors started their reply on a disastrous note as they lost opener Manan Vohra (3) in the second over. He was trapped leg before by leg-spinner Nadeem Shahbaz when the team’s score was five.

Ten balls and 16 runs later the visitors found themselves in trouble with Nadeem striking again to get rid off Wriddhiman Saha (7).

Much was expected from the opener and in-form Hashim Amla but he also flopped when the team needed him most.

The experienced batsman was consumed by Chris Morris who had him caught by Sam Billings. Amla’s 19 came off 12 balls which included four hits to the boundary.

Eoin Morgan and David Miller held on together for 4.5 overs in which they added 34 runs for the fourth wicket but then Australian pacer Pat Cummins broke the stand.

The England captain tried to break the shackle and went for a big shot only to be caught at backward point by Karun Nair. Morgan scored 22 off 20 balls with the help of three boundaries.

Three balls and a run later visitors were in ruins as leg-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for his bunny Glenn Maxwell whom he got caught by Billings. The batsman failed to open his account and the score at that stage was 65 for 5. Mishra claimed Maxwell for the fourth time in five innings.  Axar Patel and Morgan tried to hold on but the stand lasted for 23 runs as Anderson trapped Miller (24, 1×4, 28 balls) leg before, and after that, it was a mere formality.

Earlier Sam Billings dominated the Punjab bowling with swashbuckling 60 0ff 36 balls as Delhi Daredevils posted a daunting 188 for 6 in which 68 runs came in last five overs.

Sanju Samson and Billings gave the hosts a solid start putting up 53 runs for the opening wicket in 6.5 overs. Punjab bowlers especially pace duo of Sandeep and Mohit Sharma failed to make any impact on the openers who kept the scoreboard rotating at fairly fast pace. While Sanju was aggressive Billings was bit circumspect and only went after loose deliveries.

However, the Englishman soon opened up as he slammed three successive boundaries off Varon Aaron’s first over. Then Samson belted Mohit Sharma for a six over long on and the hosts were 49 in five overs.

Punjab skipper Glen Maxwell brought in spinner K Carrippa, who got into the playing eleven replacing pacer Ishant Sharma, into the attack in the sixth over and the move paid off as overeager Samson went for a big hit but fell short and was caught at long-off by Morgan. Samson scored 19 off 18 balls which included two boundaries and a six. The visitors then got another breakthrough in next over as Karun Nair edged Varon Arron to wicket keeper W Saha before opening his account and Delhi were 55 for 2.

 A 41-run third wicket partnership between Shreyas Iyer, who came to the side in place of Aditya Tare, stabilised the host’s innings before Mohit Sharma struck to get rid of Shreyas who went for a big drive only to be caught at mid-wicket by Morgan. The batsman chipped in with 19 runs off 17 balls hitting three boundaries. Then spinner Axar Patel dealt a big blow to Delhi as he got rampaging  Billings caught at long on by David Miller. The opener hit eight boundaries in his 60-run knock.

Young Rishab pant (16, 3×4 9 b) was also then caught by Morgan at mid-off to give Aaron his second wicket and Delhi were reduced to 120 for five in 15.1 overs and Punjab bowlers looked in control of the proceedings.

But at that crucial stage the visitors failed to tighten the grip and suddenly their bowling fell apart as Corey Anderson along with Chris Morris and Patrick Cummins launched a brutal counter assault.

The bowlers lost their focus, line, and length as Delhi batsmen plundered runs at will to add 68 runs in five overs. Anderson hit unbeaten 37 off 22 balls which included three sixes and an equal number of boundaries. He hit Mohit Sharma over long-on and then two successive sixes off Axar Patel over long leg and long on. Morris contributed 17 runs while Cummins hit unbeaten 8 off six balls.

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