The Delhi Capitals (DC) secured a crucial 19-run victory against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, elevating their chances in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. A comprehensive team effort saw DC amassing a formidable total of 208 runs, while their bowlers managed to hold their nerve against a spirited LSG batting response.
LSG skipper KL Rahul opted to bowl first upon winning the toss, and the decision initially seemed justified. Arshad Khan struck in the very first over, dismissing the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk who attempted a big shot but ended up being caught at long-on. That early breakthrough placed DC on the backfoot, setting the stage for a strategic fightback.
Enter Abishek Porel, who brought vitality and resilience to the crease. Porel’s masterful innings commenced with a spectacular upper-cut for six off Mohsin Khan in just the second over. His momentum continued in the subsequent over bowled by Arshad Khan, from which he extracted 21 runs with a combination of a six and three fours, highlighted by an exquisite cover-drive. His aggressive approach kept LSG bowlers under pressure.
Shai Hope then joined the fray, contributing significantly as well. Yudhvir Singh’s fourth over turned out to be expensive, costing LSG 16 runs with Hope leading the charge. The early offensive culminated in a 17-run over against Naveen-ul-Haq, closing out the powerplay with DC firmly in control despite losing early wickets. Porel’s flat-six over fine-leg during this period stood out as a particularly powerful shot.
Post powerplay, the run-rate slightly decelerated with Ravi Bishnoi creating challenges for the batsmen. Hope, having scored 38 off 27 balls, fell to a well-judged catch by KL Rahul after misjudging a shot over cover. Meanwhile, Porel continued to excel, reaching his fifty in just 21 balls. However, LSG’s respite came in the 12th over, as Porel departed for a robust 58, courtesy of some disciplined bowling.
The innings’ middle phase saw Tristan Stubbs taking control. His unbeaten 57 off just 25 balls included calculated aggression and partnership-building with captain Rishabh Pant, who scored 33 off 23 balls.
. Pant’s innings included five boundaries, delighting the crowd, especially a memorable third-man four off Naveen-ul-Haq, despite losing his grip on the bat. Pant’s dismissal in the 17th over did little to deter Stubbs, who steered DC past the 200-mark.
In the final overs, the DC score was bolstered by Stubbs’ continued aggression. Moving from 136 for three in the 15th over to a hefty 208 for four, Stubbs hammered a six and two fours off Arshad Khan. A 21-run penultimate over and a six off Naveen-ul-Haq brought Stubbs his fifty in just 22 balls, sealing a strong finish for DC.
LSG’s chase began on shaky ground due to veteran bowler Ishant Sharma’s exemplary performance. Sharma picked up three pivotal wickets in the powerplay, starting with Rahul’s dismissal, followed by Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis in quick succession. Axar Patel’s introduction further compounded LSG’s troubles, reducing them to 24 for three.
Nicholas Pooran’s arrival injected hope into LSG’s pursuit. An explosive over against Axar Patel yielded 20 runs, as Pooran, determined and aggressive, targeted the leg-side boundaries. Despite losing Deepak Hooda to Ishant’s first delivery of the next over, LSG managed 59 runs in the powerplay but lost four wickets, with Pooran racing to 32 off just 11 balls.
Pooran’s continued aggression kept LSG in the game, even as other batsmen struggled. He achieved his fifty off merely 20 balls, indicating a possible turnaround for LSG. However, their hopes were dashed when Pooran was brilliantly caught by Axar Patel off Mukesh Kumar in the 12th over, leaving LSG at 101 for six.
Despite a valiant effort from Arshad Khan, who scored a rapid 25-ball fifty, and a brief cameo by Yudhvir Singh, DC’s bowlers maintained their composure. Arshad’s relentless boundary-hitting rekindled LSG’s hopes, but with 29 runs needed from the final two overs and only two wickets in hand, the task proved insurmountable. Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam efficiently closed out the game, ensuring no boundaries were conceded in the concluding overs.
With this win, DC moved to the fifth spot on the points table, keeping their playoff hopes alive contingent on favorable outcomes in other matches. This triumph was a testament to DC’s collective strength, both in batting and bowling, under high-stakes pressure.