IPL 2022: [Watch] Massive blunder as David Warner loses wicket to Liam Livingstone on first ball vs Punjab Kings
In what could be termed both a masterstroke and sheer bad luck, Delhi Capitals opener David Warner got out on the first ball of the match against Punjab Kings off part-time spinner Liam Livingstone's bowling. This was Warner's first duck of the season in which, before this match, he had scored 427 runs at an average of 61.
Livingstone, who rarely takes the new ball, came to bowl from over the wicket to the left-hander. He hurled a simple off-spinner at a good length and wide from the batter, who put only a short stride forward and sliced at it. The ball stopped a bit and took an outside edge that lobbed off to Rahul Chahar at backward square leg.
Here's a video of the same:
This was the masterstroke part. Here's the unlucky bit: Warner's partner Sarfaraz Khan was going to take the strike in the first over. But seeing that Livingstone was going to bowl, the Aussie called him back at the last minute and switched.
This meant that the 35-year-old continued his peculiar season of alternate good innings. Since the fourth match of the season, he has recorded scores of 60*, 28, 42, 3, 92*, 19, 52, and 0. Interestingly, the Capitals have won all the alternate matches in which he has scored more than 40 runs and lost all the others.
Get the latest IPL 2022 live score updates here every day!
Delhi Capitals look towards Mitchell Marsh after David Warner's wicket
Livi >>>>
#PunjabKings #SaddaPunjab #IPL2022 #ਸਾਡਾਪੰਜਾਬ #RCBvPBKS https://t.co/xbH6EJFv8i
It's never good to lose your best player on the first ball of a crucial match, but the Capitals had no option but to look ahead. They did that through another Aussie, Mitchell Marsh. The all-rounder saw off Livingstone's over but then smashed Kagiso Rabada for two consecutive sixes. Sarfarz help the momentum as well with a brilliant 32 (16) but mistimed a straight loft off Arshdeep Singh in the 5th over.