Punjab's chances of reaching the playoffs took a major dent after defeat against DC.
The match went to the last over, thanks to the lone battle from Liam Livingstone, who took the DC attack to the cleaners in the second half of the innings.
With 97 required from the last 6 overs, Livingstone's assault (94 off 48) kept PBKS in the hunt till the 19th over. Needing 33 from the last over, PBKS were given a lifeline from Ishant Sharma who bowled the third delivery a waist-high no-ball to Livingstone.
The excitement returned to the Punjab dugout as they backed Livingstone to smash three sixes in the last three balls. However, Ishant bounced back to bowl two dot balls before he got rid of Livingstone on the final delivery to seal the deal for DC.
After the game, Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan said that the hope had returned to the dugout after Ishant's no-ball.
"It was frustrating. But we didn't bowl well in the first six overs. We should have taken a couple of wickets with the way the pitch was behaving," Dhawan said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"With the no ball, I had hope, but credit to Liam for the way he played," he further added.
Dhawan also accepted his mistake that he shouldn’t have bowled spinner Harpreet Brar in the final over, in which DC slammed 23 runs and shifted the momentum to their side.
"I feel my decision to bowl spinner the last over was wrong and it shifted the momentum towards them. The pacers didn't bowl full enough. We need to bowl in the right areas on these kinds of surfaces and it is hurting us," the PBKS captain concluded.
With the loss, Punjab Kings are in a spot of bother. They will have to win their last league match against Rajasthan Royals and hope for other results to go in their favour to reach the IPL 2023 playoffs.