Agarwal top edges the pull shot as Shaw runs back at midwicket but can't hold on to the catch as the batsman gets two runs before he takes a single to thirdman.

Rabada dents Punjab's slim hopes with the wicket of Gowtham, who makes room and tries to run it down to thirdman, but gets an edge and is caught behind for a quickfire 20 from 14 balls.

Chris Jordan gets a thick inside edge to square leg for two runs before he offers no shot to the next ball and then takes another couple through the off-side.

Punjab are 105-6 in 16 overs, needing another 53 from four overs for victory.

Opener Mayank is batting on 38 from 39 balls, can he spring a magic in the last few overs and lead Punjab to victory against the odds?

Agarwal keeps Punjab in the hunt as he lofts Nortje over the fielder at mid-off for a four before he tries to pull a short ball but is beaten.

Agarwal makes room and hits the third ball through the covers for another boundary before taking a single off the next, followed by two singles, to get 11 from the over.

Punjab are 116-6 in 17 overs, needing 42 from three overs for victory

Axar is doing a superb job with the ball, holding one end up.

Agarwal slaps the first ball down to long-on for one followed by three dot balls to Gowtham, who then takes two runs through the covers to get off the mark, and keeps strike with a single from the last ball as Kings XI reach 68-5 in 12 overs.

He makes a tidy start as he concedes just three runs in his opening over.

Agarwal picks a single off the first ball into the covers before Sarfaraz plays three dot balls in a row and then takes a single into the covers followed by another one off the last ball.

Medium pacer Marcus Stoinis comes into the attack.

Five singles off the first five balls before Sarfaraz drills a wide half volley through the covers for a four as Kings go past the 50-run mark, in the ninth over.

The wickets continue to tumble for Kings XI.

Sarfaraz has had enough of pushing the ball around as he finally decides to go for the big hit.

But it turns out to be a poor decision under the circumstances as Sarfaraz comes down the track but only manages to hole out to the fielder at long-on to perish for 12.

At the halfway mark, Punjab are reeling on 55 for five in 10 overs, with Agarwal on 13. They need another 103 runs from 10 overs for victory, with just five wickets in hand.

Ashwin claims a wicket with the first ball of his spell. Karun goes for the sweep first up but gets a top edge and is caught by Shaw on the off-side for one.

Agarwal punches the next ball down to long-on for a single before Ashwin strikes again with the wicket of Nicholas Pooran.

The left-hander is completely done in by a beauty from Ashwin which goes through his defences as it goes straight on, flicks the pads and crashes into the stumps, to bowl him for a duck.

Glenn Maxwell gets off the mark with a single off the last ball.

Kings XI in a spot of bother after being reduced to 35-3 after six overs, needing another 123 runs from 14 overs for victory at an asking rate of 8.7.

A big blow for Delhi as Ashwin seems to have injured his shoulder trying to stop the last ball, diving full length to his right.

Rabada is back into the attack and he cripples Kings XI further with the key wicket of dangerman Glenn Maxwell.

The Australian tries to hit Kings XI out of trouble as he attempts to loft it down the ground but ends up hitting it straight to Iyer at mid-off to perish for one.

A splendid comeback with the ball for Delhi as Kings XI are reduced to 36-4, in the seventh over.

Rabada nearly strikes again as new batsman Sarfaraz Khan gets a thick outside edge which goes between the wicketkeeper and the fielder at wide slip for a four.

Kings XI in trouble on 40-4 in seven overs as Delhi's bowlers lead a super fightback.

He starts with a wide down the leg side to Agarwal before he picks a leg bye as Rabada again slips down the leg side.

Rahul then steers a wide delivery to thirdman for one followed by two more single as the pacer concedes just five runs in his first over.

Nortje comes back into the attack as Rahul slaps the second ball past point for a four before he is completely opened up next ball by one which goes away at the last minute, to go past the outside edge.

Rahul then crashes another delivery past point for the second four of the over before taking a single.

Delhi switches the bowlers early on as the pacers get one over spells each.

Mohit comes back as Rahul and Agarwal pick a single each before the former is dismissed. Kings XI captain Rahul is bowled off an inside edge for 21 from 19 balls.

Karun Nair is off the mark with a single and Agarwal guides the last ball square for two runs as Kings XI reach 33 for one in five overs.

Pacer Jordan is called back into the attack.

Stoinis swings the first ball over the midwicket fence for a six. He then goes for another big swing but gets a thick inside edge which goes past short fine leg for a four before taking a single to long-on.

Ashwin throws hit bat at a wide delivery but misses before he comes down the track and misses out again.

Ashwin somehow gets his bat to the last ball as he carves it over the fielder at mid-off for a couple of runs.

Left-arm pacer Cottrell is back into the attack. The first ball is full and wide as Stoinis drills it through the covers for a four and then shuffles inside the line and nudges the next ball over short fine leg for a four.

Cottrell then bowls a wide outside the off-stump before Stoinis cuts it behind point for the third four of the over.

Cottrell makes up for it as he gets the wicket of Ashwin, who chips it straight to the fielder at thirdman off the last ball to perish for four.

Cottrell finishes with 2-24 in four over as Delhi are reduced to 127-7 in 19 overs.

Jordan to bowl the final over.

Stoinis clubs the first ball over the leg side for a six before he walks across the stumps and misses one down the leg side which is ruled a wide.

Stoinis then throws his bat at a wide delivery as he gets a thick outside edge for a four before he clips a full delivery off his pads for a four through square leg.

Stoinis on fire as he crashes another full delivery through the covers for the third four in succession before he despatches the fifth ball over square leg for a six to race to his fifty, from just 20 balls.

He is run out off the last ball going for the second run but Jordan has overstepped as Delhi get a free hit off the final delivery.

Stoinis walks back after a stunning innings of 53 from 21 balls, having hit three sixes and seven fours.

Anrich Nortje gets three runs off the final delivery as Delhi stage a remarkable recovery to post 157 for eight in 20 overs.

Stoinis was instrumental in Delhi's amazing recovery with his whirlwind innings of 53 from 21 balls, as Jordan went for 20 runs in the final over.

Bishnoi to bowl his fourth and final over.

Axar is beaten first ball before he takes a single next ball on the off-side.

Marcus Stoinis then gets a thick inside edge off the googly before he takes a single on the leg side and Axar then takes one to point

Just three runs from the over as Bishnoi finishes with good figures of 1-22 in four overs, in his IPL debut.

Cottrell comes back into the attack and he strikes first ball with the wicket of Axar, who looks to glance it fine off his hips but is caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Rahul for six.

This is the Delhi team of the old as they slip to a lowly 96 for six, in the 17th over.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Stoinis pick two singles each as Delhi struggle to 100-6 after 17 overs.

Bishnoi continues as singles come off the first three balls before Pant drives one to the covers.

The left-hander then swings the next ball wide of the fielder at long-on before the leggie gets revenge next ball.

Pant (31 from 29 balls) tries to repeat the swing over midwicket again but this time he gets a thick inside edge which crashes into the middle as debutant Bishnoi claims his maiden IPL wicket.

Things get worse for Delhi as Shami comes back and strikes the key wicket of rival captain Iyer.

Iyer, who made 39 from 32 balls, tries to loft it down the ground but fails to get hold of it and is caught at long-off as Delhi slip to 87-5, in the 15th over.

Shami tries a short ball to new batsman Axar Patel, which goes high over his head and is called a no-ball. He swipes the next ball over the leg side for a couple followed by singles off the last three balls.

A wonderful outing with the ball for Shami as he registers wonderful figures of 3-15 in four overs, with Delhi reeling on 93-5 in 15 overs.

Pant drives Gowtham through the covers for a single before Iyer glances the next fine for a couple. The next ball is short as Iyer cuts it over point for another couple but is beaten by one that goes straight on.

Iyer then hits the next through the covers for one and Pant smashes a full delivery over the cover region for another single, followed by another run off the last ball.

In the next over, Pant gets a thick outside edge off Bishnoi through the vacant slip region for a four before he misses out on the reverse sweep.

Three singles off the next three balls as the duo raise the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket, followed by another single off the last ball.

In the next over, Iyer breaks free as he slams Gowtham for back to back sixes straight down the ground to release some pressure as Delhi's scoring rate goes above six for the first time in this innings.

A single off the last ball as Gowtham concedes 15 runs in his final over, with Delhi recovering to 79-3 in 13 overs.

Pant looks to break the shackles as he sweeps Gowtham over the fielder at short fine leg for a four and then takes one next ball on the leg side.

Iyer makes some good connection as he smacks a flighted delivery from the off-spinner high over the long-on boundary for a huge six.

The right-hander gets a thick outside edge which goes to thirdman for a single and Pant keeps strike with one off the last ball.

Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi comes into the attack.

He starts with a wide to Pant on the off-side before the left-hander attempts the reverse sweep but misses out.

Pant then tries the cut but is beaten again before he takes one to sweeper cover, followed by singles off the last two balls.

At the halfway stage, Delhi reach 49-3 in 10 overs, with Iyer on 16 and Pant on 17.

Punjab introduce spin as off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham comes into the attack.

He makes a tidy start, conceding just four singles in his first over, as Delhi Capitals look to build the innings after the early wickets at the start.

The experienced duo of Pant and Iyer will look to build a partnership in the middle overs and hit out at the end.

Pacer Jordan comes back into the attack. Iyer clips the first ball on the leg side where the fielder half stops it, to concede a single before the England fast bowler sends down a wide.

Pant tries to smack a short wide ball through the off-side but is beaten before he takes one off the next ball.

Iyer punches the next ball square as the fielder at point makes a diving stop, followed by singles off the last two balls as Delhi reach 32-3 in eight overs.

The first ball is a full toss as a surprised Shaw gently defends it back to the bowler, while he drives the next, a full wide delivery, to mid-off with some good timing.

Some incoming movement for Cottrell as Shaw blocks with a straight bat before he slashes at a full wide delivery, getting a thick outside edge which goes for a four despite a valiant diving effort from Sarfaraz Khan on the thirdman fence.

Shaw punches the fifth ball into the covers and runs across for a single, while Dhawan charges down the wicket but is hit on the body as five runs come from the first over.

Mohammed Shami from the other end.

Shaw defends the first ball before he is beaten next ball trying to clip it on the leg side before he has a wild swing but misses as wicketkeeper Rahul struggles to collect it and concedes a bye.

A good short ball from Shami as Dhawan goes for the pull which he looks to have gloved as Rahul also fails to collect cleanly down the leg side. Dhawan tries to pinch a quick run as he comes down a long way before he is sent back halfway down to be run out for a duck.

New batsman Shimron Hetmyer has a huge appeal for caught behind turned down as Shami gets one to slant across the left-hander. The entire Kings XI teams seem to have gone up in appeal but umpire Anil Chaudhary is unmoved and surprisingly Kings XI decide against the review despite their loud appeal.

Hetmyer then top edges the pull shot as he miscues it on the leg side but Krishnappa Gowtham running back from square leg is unable to judge it cleanly and misses out on a tough chance as Delhi reach 7-1 after two overs.

Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul (captain, w/k), Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Glenn Maxwell, Nicholas Pooran, Krishnappa Gowtham, Chris Jordan, Sheldon Cottrell, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami.

Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant (w/k), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Mohit Sharma.

Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble are arguably two of the biggest names in cricket and the dazzling array of talent in both the teams would seek to draw inspiration from their respective heavyweight coaches in their tournament opener.

Man-to-man, Delhi Capitals seem to have a slight edge, more so in the spin department, with the trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Axar Patel streets ahead of their counterparts from the Mohali-based side.

The match, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, will also be a face-off between skippers KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, both seen as future India captaincy material.

On the batting front, the Capitals have one of the best assortments of India internationals, comprising Prithvi Shaw, Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, besides West Indian Shimron Hetmyer.

In this scenario, India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (strike-rate below 120), who was bought from Rajasthan Royals, may be left out.

The KXIP also boast of some of the finest clean hitters in the form of Chris Gayle, Glenn Maxwell and Rahul himself.

Maxwell's confidence must be sky high after his ODI series-winning century (108) against England in Manchester. He also had a memorable run the last time the IPL was held in UAE, albeit partially, in 2014 when he hammered 552 runs in 16 games.