Led by an impressive batting display, the Delhi Capitals (DC) secured a 20-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a crucial match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The win not only adds to the excitement of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Points Table, where DC now finds itself among three other teams at 12 points, but also showcases some spectacular individual performances.
The proceedings began with Rajasthan Royals opting to bowl first after winning the toss, confident in their ability to chase down any score. The decision seemed reasonable given the ground’s reputation for high-scoring games. The Delhi Capitals openers did not disappoint and set a blazing pace right from the start.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was the standout performer with his aggressive batting, tearing through the RR bowlers to reach a 19-ball half-century. Astonishingly, this was his slowest fifty of the season, underscoring his dominance in the tournament. The fourth over proved particularly costly for RR, as Avesh Khan conceded 28 runs, with Fraser-McGurk smashing four boundaries and two sixes to reach his milestone.
However, Fraser-McGurk’s destructive inning was cut short by R Ashwin, who got him caught at cover by Donovan Ferreira. At the other end, Abishek Porel, who started his innings steadily, accelerated after Fraser-McGurk’s departure. Despite the early run-out of Shai Hope, Porel remained unflustered and continued to attack the bowlers. Partnered briefly by Axar Patel until Ashwin dismissed him in the 10th over, DC managed to keep the momentum with a score of 115 for three at the halfway mark.
Porel reached his maiden fifty of the season in the 11th over, lofting Avesh for a six, achieving the feat in just 28 balls. Nonetheless, the middle overs saw DC’s momentum slacken as they lost a few wickets in quick succession. Porel was eventually dismissed for a well-played 65 by Sandeep Sharma, while Rishabh Pant’s wicket to Yuzvendra Chahal marked an important milestone for the bowler – his 350th wicket in T20 cricket.
Gulbadin Naib and Tristan Stubbs then took on the task of rebuilding the innings. Stubbs, true to his combative style, launched an onslaught in the slog overs. His 20-ball 41, laden with three fours and three sixes, powered DC to a sizeable total. The 18th over, bowled by Chahal, proved pivotal as Stubbs’ aggression fetched 21 runs.
. Rasikh Salam, brought in as an Impact Player at the end, added gloss to the final overs with two scooped fours, driving DC to a formidable total of 221 for eight.
Chasing a mammoth total, the Royals needed a spectacular performance from one of their star players, and captain Sanju Samson rose to the occasion. However, the chase hit an early setback as Yashaswi Jaiswal fell to Khaleel Ahmed’s second delivery. Jos Buttler, introduced as an Impact Player, took his time to settle in while Samson began to accelerate, especially after smashing Khaleel for a massive six, reaching his 200th six in IPL.
Samson’s fireworks continued, targeting Ishant Sharma for two fours and a six before the Royals crossed the fifty-run mark in the fifth over. Meanwhile, Buttler’s cautious start turned perilous when he was dismissed by Axar Patel in the sixth over after hitting consecutive boundaries.
Riyan Parag’s slow start coupled with some disciplined bowling from DC meant RR were behind in the required rate at the 10-over mark, with only 93 runs on the board for two wickets. Parag’s dismissal for 27 by Rasikh set the stage for Samson to go into overdrive. Partnered by Shubham Dube, who chipped in with an explosive 25 off 12 balls, Samson lifted RR’s hopes, taking the score to 103 for three by the 11th over.
Samson’s blistering 86 off 46 balls, including eight boundaries and numerous sixes, reignited the chase. However, Mukesh Kumar claimed his wicket, caught brilliantly by Hope at long-on, just as Samson sought to extract more from the run chase in the slog overs.
The late overs turned into a battleground, with RR finding it difficult to balance boundary hitting with retaining wickets. Shubham Dube, caught trying to clear the boundary again, and debutant Ferreira, trapped leg-before by Kuldeep Yadav, added to their woes. Kuldeep then struck another blow by taking Ashwin’s wicket in the 18th over, conceding just four runs and effectively putting a lid on the scoring rate.
With 37 runs needed from the last two overs, the pressure was on Rovman Powell. However, Rasikh’s exceptional penultimate over conceded a mere eight runs, restricting Powell’s big-hitting opportunities.
Requiring 29 off the final over proved too tall an order. Mukesh Kumar bowled Powell off the second ball, sealing DC’s comprehensive win and wrapping up a memorable match that will be remembered for remarkable batting and a spirited defense by the Delhi Capitals.