Delhi Capitals (DC) recorded an impressive 19-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. On a pitch that favored the batters, DC put up a formidable 208 runs on the board, showcasing a well-rounded team performance. Despite some fighting performances from LSG’s batters, DC’s bowlers managed to hold their nerve, ultimately ensuring that the team walked away with two crucial points.
Winning the toss, LSG skipper KL Rahul opted to bowl first, a decision that yielded immediate rewards. The dangerous opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, known for his aggressive style, aimed to launch an attack right from the start but ended up miscuing a shot off Arshad Khan’s delivery, leading to a straightforward catch at long-on.
While this early setback could have demoralized DC, Abishek Porel stepped up with an aggressive counter-attack. In the subsequent overs, Porel put on a show of exquisite shot-making. His innings were initiated with an upper-cut six off Mohsin Khan in the second over. The onslaught continued as Porel pillaged 21 runs off Arshad Khan’s next over, featuring a six and three fours, with a standout cover-drive being the highlight. Yudhvir Singh’s arrival into the attack for the fourth over didn’t stem the flow of runs; Porel, along with Shai Hope, extracted 16 runs. They then capitalized on Naveen-ul-Haq’s over, adding 17 more to close out a productive powerplay.
Post the high-octane powerplay, the run rate saw a slight drop. However, Porel continued his aggression, reaching his fifty off just 21 balls. This period also witnessed Ravi Bishnoi conceding a six down the ground from Hope, only to see the latter dismissed in the same over as KL Rahul managed to juggle and secure a catch. Porel’s explosive 58-run innings came to an end in the 12th over, a significant wicket that gave LSG a brief glimmer of hope.
Tristan Stubbs then took center stage, forging a critical partnership with Rishabh Pant, who scored a relatively sedate 33 off 23 balls by his standards. Pant entertained the crowd with his signature leg-side flicks, laced with five boundaries. A memorable moment was a boundary off Naveen-ul-Haq that saw Pant lose his bat in the process, much to the crowd’s amusement. Pant’s dismissal came in the 17th over, but Stubbs continued his onslaught.
DC surged past the 200-run mark largely due to Stubbs’ brilliance. At 136 for three in 15 overs, Stubbs decided to accelerate, targeting Arshad Khan for a sequence of a six and two fours.
. The last three overs saw DC amassing 45 runs, with a penultimate over that cost LSG 21 runs. Stubbs completed his fifty off a mere 22 balls and concluded the innings at an unbeaten 57 off 25 balls, pushing DC to a daunting 208 for four.
Facing a challenging 209-run target, LSG’s chase faltered early as Ishant Sharma delivered a masterclass in new-ball bowling. The veteran pacer compelled KL Rahul to sky a ball to cover, sent Quinton de Kock packing with a mistimed shot to mid-on, and saw Marcus Stoinis stumped off the first delivery from Axar Patel. At a precarious 24 for three, the pressure was squarely on LSG.
Nicholas Pooran, known for his explosive batting, started in characteristically belligerent fashion, particularly targeting the leg-side. Axar’s over conceded 20 runs, courtesy of Pooran’s two fours and two sixes. Yet, Ishant struck again, trapping Deepak Hooda lbw at the start of the subsequent over. LSG concluded the powerplay at 59 for four, with Pooran blazing away to 32 off just 11 balls.
Pooran kept LSG in the hunt, regularly finding the boundary despite losing partner Ayush Badoni. Pooran’s quick-fire fifty off 20 balls had LSG pinning their hopes on him. Unfortunately for LSG, their savior was dismissed when Mukesh Kumar induced a mistimed shot that Axar Patel caught brilliantly low to the ground. This crucial wicket left LSG reeling at 101 for six.
Arshad Khan reignited LSG’s chase with a fearless batting display, smashing a series of boundaries and sixes primarily down the ground. His efforts brought LSG within striking distance, achieving a fifty off just 25 balls. Aided by Yudhvir Singh’s brief but impactful 14-run cameo, LSG found themselves requiring 29 runs off the last two overs with only two wickets in hand.
DC turned to Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam to close out the game. The duo rose to the occasion, ensuring Arshad was kept quiet and denying LSG any further boundaries in the final overs. As a result, DC secured a vital win that nudged them to the fifth spot on the points table. With this victory, DC kept their playoff hopes alive, although they remain dependent on other results going their way.