In a riveting contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Delhi Capitals (DC) clinched a 19-run victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 64 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. On a pitch that favored batting, DC amassed a formidable total of 208, thanks to an all-around team effort. Despite a spirited chase by LSG, DC’s bowlers maintained their composure to secure crucial points in the league.
The match commenced with LSG opting to bowl first after winning the toss, a decision that yielded immediate results. In the opening over, Arshad Khan dismissed the aggressive Jake Fraser-McGurk, who attempted a flamboyant shot but ended up skying it to long-on, where he was caught in the deep.
Although LSG had the early advantage, DC quickly counterattacked through Abishek Porel, who put on a delightful display of batting. Porel’s elegant stroke-play began with an upper-cut for six off Mohsin Khan in the second over. He continued his onslaught in the following over bowled by Arshad, amassing 21 runs with a six and three fours, including a memorable cover-drive. Yudhvir Singh too faced Porel’s wrath, conceding 16 runs in the fourth over, with Shai Hope joining in on the action. The powerplay concluded with DC plundering 17 runs off Naveen-ul-Haq’s over, including a flat-six over fine-leg from Porel.
Post powerplay, the run-rate dipped slightly. Shai Hope made a commendable contribution of 38 runs off 27 balls, striking a six off Ravi Bishnoi before being caught by KL Rahul on a second attempt while trying to go over cover. In the same period, Porel reached his half-century off just 21 balls. However, LSG managed to stage a comeback by dismissing Porel for 58 in the 12th over, delivering a significant blow to DC.
The middle overs saw Tristan Stubbs take charge, rebuilding the innings alongside Rishabh Pant. Pant’s 33 off 23 balls included five delightful fours, notably a cheeky third-man boundary off Naveen-ul-Haq. He was eventually dismissed in the 17th over, but not before contributing significantly to the total.
Tristan Stubbs was the pivotal player, steering DC past the 200-run mark. After 15 overs, DC stood at 136 for three. Stubbs then launched a ferocious attack, hitting Arshad Khan for a six and two fours. In the final three overs, DC added 45 runs, with the penultimate over alone yielding 21. Stubbs reached his fifty off just 22 balls, finishing unbeaten on 57 off 25 balls.
. His explosive batting propelled DC to a commanding 208 for four.
LSG’s chase began disastrously with veteran Ishant Sharma delivering a stellar spell in the powerplay. He claimed the vital wickets of KL Rahul, who skyed a catch to cover, and Quinton de Kock, who was caught at mid-on. Axar Patel was introduced in the fourth over and struck immediately, getting Marcus Stoinis stumped. LSG found themselves in dire straits at 24 for three when Nicholas Pooran entered the fray.
Pooran, known for his aggression, responded with an array of attacking shots, primarily targeting the leg-side. Despite losing a wicket early in the over, Axar went for 20 runs courtesy of Pooran’s two fours and two sixes. However, Ishant Sharma returned to trap Deepak Hooda leg-before in the next over. LSG accumulated 59 runs in the powerplay but were four down, with Pooran blazing away to 32 off 11 deliveries.
Pooran kept LSG’s hopes alive with consistent boundaries, even as Ayush Badoni fell at the other end. Racing to his fifty off just 20 balls, Pooran was LSG’s best hope to chase down the target. Unfortunately for LSG, Pooran was dismissed when he hit Mukesh Kumar straight to cover, where Axar Patel took a stunning low catch. With the score at 101 for six, DC seemed to have the upper hand.
However, the unpredictability of T20 cricket came into play with Arshad Khan’s aggressive batting. Khan, exhibiting no fear, smashed boundaries down the ground and racked up sixes, propelling LSG back into contention. His quick-fire 50 off 25 balls, ably supported by Yudhvir Singh’s brief cameo of 14 runs, brought some excitement back into the match.
As the game drew to its conclusion, LSG required 29 runs from the final two overs with just two wickets in hand. DC bowlers Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam held their nerve, successfully preventing Arshad from hitting any boundaries in the last two overs. Their disciplined bowling ensured no late drama unfolded, and DC secured their victory.
With this win, DC climbed to the fifth position in the points table, keeping their playoff hopes alive. They now must depend on favorable outcomes from other matches to advance to the playoffs.