In a thrilling spectacle of cricket, Delhi Capitals (DC) emerged victorious with a 20-run win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, significantly shaking up the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Points Table. This critical victory propels DC to 12 points, placing them in the mix with three other competing teams, thus raising the stakes in the race for the playoffs.
The match began with RR winning the toss and opting to bowl first, a decision rooted in their confidence to chase down any target set before them on a pitch renowned for its high scores this IPL season. The DC openers capitalized on the batting-friendly conditions, launching their team into a commanding start.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was the star of the show early on, dazzling the crowd with an astounding display of aggressive batting. He raced to his half-century in just 19 balls, remarkably his slowest fifty of the season, underscoring his remarkable impact throughout the tournament. The fourth over, delivered by Avesh Khan, was dispatched for 28 runs, courtesy of Fraser-McGurk’s four boundaries and two towering sixes, culminating in his fiery fifty within this single over.
However, Fraser-McGurk’s blitz ended when he fell to R Ashwin, driving the ball straight to cover where Donovan Ferreira took a well-judged catch. Meanwhile, Abishek Porel, who had begun steadily, shifted gears following Fraser-McGurk’s departure. Despite the early run-out of Shai Hope, Porel continued to apply pressure on the bowlers, maintaining a high strike rate. He found a solid partner in Axar Patel until Patel’s innings was cut short by Ashwin at long-on in the 10th over. At half-way through their innings, DC had amassed 115 runs for the loss of three wickets and were on track for a sizable total.
Porel reached his first half-century of the IPL 2024 in just 28 balls by launching Avesh for a six in the 11th over. However, DC soon faced a mini-collapse with Porel getting caught by Sandeep Sharma at 65 and Rishabh Pant falling victim to Yuzvendra Chahal, the latter celebrating his 350th T20 wicket milestone. This left Gulbadin Naib and Tristan Stubbs to anchor the innings and set the stage for a final onslaught.
The late surge in the innings was spearheaded by Stubbs, whose dynamic batting secured crucial runs in the death overs. His quick-fire 41 off 20 balls featured three boundaries and three sixes, prominently highlighted by two huge hits in the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma. Chahal, despite having a stellar IPL season, was taken apart in the 18th over, conceding 21 runs. Impact Player Rasikh Salam further entertained by scooping two fours in the closing overs, ultimately leading DC to a formidable total of 221 for eight.
Chasing a hefty total, RR needed a prolific innings from one of their star batsmen, and it was captain Sanju Samson who rose to the occasion.
. Though Yashaswi Jaiswal started with a boundary, he soon perished to Khaleel Ahmed. Impact Player Jos Buttler took his time to settle, while Samson shifted into high gear early, striking Khaleel for a massive six marking his 200th six in IPL history.
Samson’s attacking play continued with Ishant Sharma being hit for two fours and a six. Mukesh Kumar’s introduction in the fifth over nearly yielded Buttler’s wicket, but he was put down by Stubbs. Yet, Samson kept the momentum, bringing up RR’s fifty. However, Buttler’s attempt to accelerate ended with an inside edge off Axar Patel, sending him back to the pavilion and sparking celebrations in the DC camp.
The middle phase saw RR struggling to find the boundaries, with Riyan Parag taking time to get off the blocks. Rasikh Salam struck in the 11th over, getting rid of Parag for 27, putting RR at 93 for two at the halfway stage, now behind the required rate.
Samson, now at 49 off 25 balls, ignited another gear, supported well by Shubham Dube. Together, they reignited RR’s chase, adding 59 runs in the next 29 balls. Samson brought up his half-century and continued his aggressive mode until Mukesh Kumar dismissed him for a splendid 86 off 46 balls, thanks to a brilliant balancing-act catch by Hope at long-on.
The closing overs were a nerve-wracking tussle between RR’s boundary-hunting and DC’s wicket-taking. Shubham Dube, after a combative 25, was dismissed trying to clear the ropes again. Ferreira, debuting his IPL innings, was trapped leg-before by Kuldeep in a defining 18th over, where Kuldeep conceded just four runs and also nabbed Ashwin’s catch at long-on.
The pressure mounted with RR needing 37 from the last two overs. All hopes rested on Rovman Powell, but Rasikh Salam’s exceptional penultimate over, which yielded only eight runs, left Powell little room to maneuver. Needing 29 off the final over, Mukesh Kumar struck the decisive blow by bowling Powell out with his second delivery, sealing the victory for DC.
The match, marked by high scores, explosive batting performances, and strategic bowling, highlighted the competitive spirit of the TATA IPL 2024 season. With this victory, DC not only kept their playoff hopes alive but also added further excitement to an already thrilling tournament.
