Led by a strong batting performance that set the platform, Delhi Capitals (DC) recorded a 20-run win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. DC’s victory makes the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Points Table more interesting as they move to 12 points along with three other teams.
On a ground that has produced some big scores in the TATA IPL 2024, RR won the toss and chose to bowl – backing their batting to chase down any total. From the outset, it was clear that the pitch was going to produce big runs when the DC openers gave their team a flying start.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was at his attacking and entertaining best and stormed through to a 19-ball half-century. It is mind-boggling that at 19 balls, it is his slowest half-century of the season. That is the kind of impact he has had in the tournament. The fourth over bowled by Avesh Khan was carted for 28. Fraser-McGurk got four fours and two sixes and completed his fifty in that over.
Soon after, R Ashwin dismissed him as he hit one straight to cover where Donovan Ferreira held on to the catch. At the other end, Abishek Porel had gotten off to a steady start with a couple of boundaries early in the innings but he took charge after Fraser-McGurk’s dismissal. Although Shai Hope was run-out early, Porel was unfazed and kept attacking the bowlers at regular intervals. Axar Patel gave him company until the 10th over – when Ashwin had him caught at long-on. At the half-way mark, DC were 115 for three and en route to a big score. In the 11th over, Porel hit Avesh for a six to get to his first fifty in the TATA IPL 2024. The youngster got there in only 28 balls.
DC slowed down a touch in the middle as they were rocked by a few quick wickets. Porel was caught off Sandeep Sharma for 65 and Pant was dismissed by Chahal – who brought up his 350th wicket in T20 cricket. Gulbadin Naib joined Tristan Stubbs in the middle and they had to rebuild before launching in the slog overs.
The surge at the end was powered by Stubbs, who was his typical combative self – finding the boundaries with ease. His 20-ball 41 featured three fours and three sixes – two of which came in the last over of the innings, bowled by Sandeep.
The stage for that charge was set when Chahal, who has had a good IPL season, was taken apart for 21 in the 18th over. Rasikh Salam came in as an Impact Player at the end and promptly scooped two fours – to the delight of his teammates in the dressing room. DC ended with 221 for eight – a good score, but considering recent history, RR too backed themselves.
For RR to get to the score, one of their big guns needed to fire, and today, it was captain Sanju Samson who took responsibility and produced an extraordinary innings. Yashaswi Jaiswal hit the first ball of the innings down the ground for four but was caught the next ball off Khaleel Ahmed. Jos Buttler, who was brought in as an Impact Player, took some time in the middle. This is when Samson took the onus upon himself to set the tone for a big chase.
Samson shifted gears in the third over when he hit Khaleel for a massive six down the ground. It was also his 200th six in his TATA IPL career. In the next over, Ishant Sharma was hit for two fours and a six. DC brought in Mukesh Kumar in the fifth over and it almost produced a chance as Buttler skied one high in the air and was dropped by Stubbs. Samson continued the charge, taking RR past fifty in that over.
In the sixth over, Buttler hit two fours but then inside-edged one off Axar to spark celebrations for DC. The next few overs witnessed a bit of a slowdown as the boundaries weren’t easy to come by, and Riyan Parag took some time to get going. At the half-way stage, RR were 93 for two and behind the required rate. Rasikh soon got rid of Parag for 27 in the 11th over.
Until then, Samson was on 49 off 25 balls. The next few overs saw Samson shift gears and power the run-rate up. He was well supported by Shubham Dube (25 off 12 balls). In 11 overs, RR were 103 for three. In the next 29 balls, the pair added 59 runs to reignite the run-chase. Samson went past his fifty and then showed a great attacking approach. Mukesh finally dismissed Samson for 86 off 46 balls, when he hit one to long-on and was brilliantly caught by Hope – who maintained his balance within the ropes.
It was a see-saw battle in the slog overs. While RR were getting the boundaries, they were also losing wickets. Shubham was dismissed for 25 while he tried to clear the ropes again during his combative innings. Ferreira, playing his first IPL innings, was trapped leg-before by Kuldeep in the 18th over. That over was defining for DC as Kuldeep kept it admirably tight and conceded only four runs. Off the last ball, he also had Ashwin caught at long-on.
That left RR with 37 to get in the last two overs – with all eyes on Rovman Powell. Rasikh bowled an excellent penultimate over and conceded only eight runs, denying Powell the room to smash it big.
RR needed 29 off the last over. When Mukesh got Powell bowled off the second ball, DC had effectively sealed the deal.
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