In an exhilarating contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Capitals (DC) clinched a 20-run victory against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their latest TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter. The win propels DC to 12 points, placing them amongst three other teams on the same tally, thereby intensifying the competition on the IPL Points Table.
The high-scoring ground had spectators anticipating another run-fest when RR opted to bowl first after winning the toss, trusting their batting prowess to chase down any target set by DC. From the get-go, the pitch promised runs galore, and the DC openers did not disappoint, giving their side a blistering start.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was the star of the opening act with an explosive performance, blasting his way to a 19-ball half-century, remarkably his slowest of the season—a testament to his dominant presence in the tournament. The fourth over, bowled by Avesh Khan, turned into a spectacle as Fraser-McGurk plundered 28 runs, comprising four boundaries and two towering sixes, bringing up his fifty. However, his fiery innings was cut short by R Ashwin, who got him to hit one straight to cover, with Donovan Ferreira completing a comfortable catch.
At the other end, Abishek Porel, who had started cautiously with a couple of early boundaries, assumed the role of the aggressor following Fraser-McGurk’s departure. Despite losing Shai Hope to a run-out early in his innings, Porel remained unperturbed, maintaining pressure on the RR bowlers. Axar Patel partnered him until the 10th over when Ashwin struck again to dismiss Patel. As the halfway mark of the innings approached, DC were comfortably placed at 115 for three, poised for a substantial total. Porel, showcasing his talent, hammered Avesh for a six in the 11th over to bring up his maiden fifty of the TATA IPL 2024 off just 28 deliveries.
The middle overs saw DC experience a brief slump as they lost wickets in quick succession. Porel eventually succumbed to Sandeep Sharma for a well-compiled 65, followed by the crucial wicket of Rishabh Pant, claimed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who celebrated his 350th T20 wicket milestone. Gulbadin Naib and Tristan Stubbs then took charge, initially focusing on rebuilding the innings.
The final overs saw a resurgence from DC, spearheaded by Stubbs, who, true to his combative nature, found the boundaries with ease. His rapid 41 off just 20 balls included three fours and an equal number of sixes, two of which were bludgeoned in the last over from Sandeep. Chahal’s promising IPL season faced a hiccup in the 18th over, conceding 21 runs as Stubbs went on his offensive, setting the stage for a late-innings flourish.
. Rasikh Salam, introduced as an Impact Player, provided a final boost with two innovative scoops to the boundary, propelling DC to a formidable total of 221 for eight.
RR’s chase began with a need for one of their pivotal players to deliver, and it was their captain, Sanju Samson, who stepped up admirably. Despite the early setback of losing Yashaswi Jaiswal to Khaleel Ahmed on the second ball, Samson went on the offensive, especially after Jos Buttler, brought in as an Impact Player, struggled to find his rhythm initially.
Taking charge in the third over, Samson smashed Khaleel for a massive six, marking his 200th six in the TATA IPL career. His aggressive intent continued as he targeted Ishant Sharma in the following over, collecting two boundaries and a six. Despite the pressure, DC bowlers managed to control the scoring rate slightly as Buttler, attempting to accelerate, inside-edged an Axar delivery onto the stumps, igniting celebrations in the DC camp.
With the required run rate climbing, RR found themselves at 93 for two at the halfway mark. Riyan Parag, after a struggling start, was soon dismissed by Rasikh for 27. Until then, Samson had compiled 49 off 25 balls and looked set to take the game deep. Joined by Shubham Dube, who promptly supported with brisk hitting, Samson continued to lift the run rate. The duo added 59 runs in 29 balls, keeping RR in the chase.
However, Mukesh Kumar brought an end to Samson’s masterclass on 86 off 46 balls, with Shai Hope making a stunning catch at long-on. As the game entered the final overs, RR’s hopes hinged on consistent boundary hitting but the pressure proved too much. Shubham Dube was dismissed for 25 during an ambitious shot, while Ferreira, debuting in IPL, fell leg-before to Kuldeep, who bowled a tight 18th over, ceding only four runs and picking Ashwin’s wicket too.
With 37 needed from the final two overs, all eyes were on Rovman Powell. Rasikh’s excellent penultimate over conceding just eight runs effectively sealed the contest. Chasing 29 off the last, RR’s faint hopes evaporated when Mukesh bowled Powell in the second ball, cementing DC’s victory.