Delhi Capitals (DC) emerged victorious against Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a margin of 20 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in what was a thrilling contest in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This win has intensified the competition on the points table, with DC now standing at 12 points, similar to three other teams, making the league more enthralling for fans.
The backdrop for this high-octane match was the Arun Jaitley Stadium, known for producing high-scoring games this season. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Rajasthan Royals seemed confident in their batting lineup to chase down any total set by the opposition. This decision came on a pitch that suggested a run-fest was in store.
DC’s openers wasted no time in signaling their intent. Jake Fraser-McGurk, with his aggressive stroke play, was at his entertaining best and raced to a half-century in just 19 balls, though remarkably, this was his slowest fifty of the season. The young batsman hit Avesh Khan for 28 runs in the fourth over, including four boundaries and two towering sixes, reaching his fifty in that over itself.
However, Fraser-McGurk’s flamboyant innings came to an end when he hit a ball from R Ashwin straight to cover, where Donovan Ferreira made no mistake with the catch. Meanwhile, Abishek Porel, who had been playing steadily, shifted gears following the dismissal of Fraser-McGurk. Despite the early run-out of Shai Hope, Porel remained undeterred and kept the scoreboard ticking with aggressive strokes. Axar Patel supported him valiantly until the 10th over, but Ashwin struck again to remove Patel, caught at long-on. At the end of the 10th over, DC stood at a robust 115 for three and were on course for a formidable total.
Porel continued his rampage, reaching his maiden half-century in the TATA IPL 2024 with a massive six off Avesh in the 11th over. His fifty came in just 28 balls, showcasing his ability to handle pressure. However, DC’s progression stuttered as they lost a few wickets in quick succession. Porel was dismissed for a well-played 65 by Sandeep Sharma, and soon after, Captain Rishabh Pant fell to Yuzvendra Chahal, who celebrated his 350th wicket in T20 cricket.
Gulbadin Naib and Tristan Stubbs then took the responsibility of rebuilding the innings. Stubbs, known for his aggressive batting, unleashed his power in the end overs. His quickfire 41 off 20 balls included three boundaries and three sixes, two of which came in the last over, bowled by Sandeep Sharma. Chahal, despite having an outstanding season, was smashed for 21 runs in the 18th over – an over that shifted momentum back to DC.
In a strategic move, Rasikh Salam was introduced as an Impact Player late in the innings and contributed crucial runs with two fours to greatly lift the team’s spirits. DC ultimately ended their innings with a challenging score of 221 for eight, a total that RR had confidence in chasing given their strong batting lineup.
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Rajasthan Royals required one of their top-order batsmen to deliver a masterclass, and it was their skipper Sanju Samson who rose to the occasion. The innings began on a shaky note with Yashaswi Jaiswal hitting the first ball for four but getting dismissed on the very next delivery by Khaleel Ahmed. Jos Buttler, appearing as an Impact Player, took time to settle but soon handed over the reins to Samson who decided to take charge.
Samson announced his intentions with a towering six in the third over off Khaleel, marking his 200th six in IPL history. He continued the onslaught, hammering Ishant Sharma for multiple boundaries in the subsequent over. Buttler witnessed a lucky escape when he was dropped by Stubbs off Mukesh Kumar in the fifth over. Nevertheless, Samson ensured RR crossed the 50-run mark by the end of that over.
The pressure of the chase became more evident when Buttler, after hitting two fours, inside-edged a delivery from Axar Patel, leading to DC’s celebrations. This shifted the momentum as boundaries became hard to come by, with Riyan Parag taking time to find his rhythm. At the halfway mark, RR were at a precarious 93 for two, falling behind the required run rate significantly.
The dismissal of Parag for 27 by Rasikh in the 11th over added to RR’s woes. Meanwhile, Samson steadied the innings and was playing fluently, having reached 49 off 25 balls. His aggressive partnership with Shubham Dube (25 off 12 balls) briefly revived hopes for RR, with the pair adding 59 runs in quick succession. Samson’s outstanding innings ended at 86 off 46 balls, with a stunning catch by Hope at long-on off Mukesh’s bowling.
As the match approached the final overs, the tension mounted. Despite boundaries being scored, RR kept losing wickets. Shubham Dube was out for 25 while trying to clear the boundary again. Ferreira, playing his first IPL match, was trapped leg-before by Kuldeep in the 18th over, which was a turning point for DC as Kuldeep bowled tightly, conceding just four runs and claiming another wicket off the last ball.
With 37 required off the final two overs, all eyes turned to Rovman Powell. However, Rasikh’s excellent penultimate over, wherein he gave away only eight runs, left RR needing an almost impossible 29 runs off the final over. Mukesh Ahmed sealed the victory for DC by bowling Powell off the second ball of the last over.
This exhilarating match ended with Delhi Capitals securing a triumph by 20 runs, further heating up the league standings and thrilling cricket fans with a contest showcasing both batting brilliance and nervy moments.
