In a tightly contested encounter held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the Delhi Capitals (DC) managed to secure an essential 20-run victory against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). This crucial win in Match 56 has now added an intriguing twist to the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Points Table, with DC moving up to 12 points and joining three other teams.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first on a ground known for high-scoring games, RR seemed confident that their batting prowess could take down any target set by DC. From the initial stages, it was evident that the pitch was going to favor the batsmen, as the DC openers provided a blazing start to their team.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was the star of the show right from the beginning, showcasing his attacking flair and swift scoring ability. Smashing his way to a 19-ball half-century, Fraser-McGurk astonished the audience, considering that it was his slowest half-century of the season. This showcases the kind of impact he has had throughout the tournament. His whirlwind knock was highlighted in the fourth over bowled by Avesh Khan, which he plundered for 28 runs, hitting four boundaries and two towering sixes to complete his fifty.
However, Fraser-McGurk’s explosive innings came to an abrupt end when R Ashwin had him caught at cover by Donovan Ferreira. Meanwhile, Abishek Porel, at the other end, built upon his steady start and continued to attack following Fraser-McGurk’s dismissal. Despite a brief setback with the run-out of Shai Hope, Porel remained undeterred and continued to challenge the bowlers.
Axar Patel offered solid support to Porel until the 10th over, contributing useful runs before Ashwin struck again, catching Patel at long-on. By the halfway mark, DC was poised at 115 for three, en route to a formidable total. In the 11th over, Porel celebrated his first fifty of the TATA IPL 2024 by hitting Avesh for a six, reaching the milestone in a brisk 28 balls.
DC’s momentum saw a slight dip in the middle overs as they lost a few quick wickets. Porel was eventually caught by Sandeep Sharma for 65, and soon after, Rishabh Pant was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who celebrated his 350th wicket in T20 cricket. This was a significant milestone for the seasoned spinner.
The final push for a big total saw Gulbadin Naib joining forces with Tristan Stubbs. The duo concentrated on rebuilding the innings before going for an all-out assault in the closing overs. Stubbs, displaying his usual aggressive style, found the boundaries with ease, scoring 41 off just 20 balls, including three fours and three sixes – two of which came in the last over, bowled by Sandeep.
The foundation for the final onslaught was laid when Chahal, despite having a remarkable season, was punished for 21 runs in the 18th over. Rasikh Salam, who made an Impact Player appearance, added to the total with two brief yet vital fours, boosting the DC dressing room’s morale. DC ultimately concluded their innings at 221 for eight, a challenging score but not unbeatable given the history at the venue.
For the Rajasthan Royals, chasing down the target required a sterling performance from one of their key players.
. Captain Sanju Samson rose to the occasion, delivering an exceptional innings. Though Yashaswi Jaiswal hit a boundary off the first ball, he was dismissed by Khaleel Ahmed on the subsequent one. Jos Buttler was introduced as an Impact Player but took time to settle in. It was during this phase that Samson assumed the responsibility of accelerating the scoring.
Samson hit his 200th six in the TATA IPL in the third over, a massive strike down the ground off Khaleel. In the next over, Ishant Sharma was greeted with two powerful fours and a six from Samson. Mukesh Kumar almost got the breakthrough in the fifth over, but Buttler was dropped by Stubbs. Nevertheless, the boundaries began to flow, pushing RR’s total past fifty.
However, DC’s Axar Patel dismissed Buttler in the sixth over with an inside edge, causing further joy for DC fans. The subsequent overs saw a slight reduction in scoring frequency as Riyan Parag took time to find his rhythm. At the midway point, RR was 93 for two, trailing behind the required rate. Soon after, Rasikh dismissed Parag for 27 in the 11th over.
Samson, standing at 49 off 25 balls, shifted into high gear in the following overs, supported effectively by Shubham Dube, who contributed a quick-fire 25 off 12 balls. By the 11th over, RR’s score stood at 103 for three. Over the next 29 balls, Samson and Dube added 59 runs, reigniting hopes for a successful chase. Samson’s aggressive approach yielded a brilliant innings of 86 off 46 balls, cut short by Mukesh, who had him caught at long-on by Hope.
The closing overs were a nail-biting, back-and-forth affair. Although RR continued to find boundaries, their frequent loss of wickets proved detrimental. Dube’s dismissal for 25 came as he attempted yet another big hit. In the 18th over, Ferreira was trapped leg-before by Kuldeep Yadav in his debut IPL innings, with Kuldeep also claiming Ashwin off the final ball, restricting RR to just four runs in the over.
Facing a tall ask of 37 runs off the last two overs, all eyes turned to Rovman Powell. However, Rasikh bowled an exceptional penultimate over, allowing only eight runs and restricting Powell’s ability to score freely.
Requiring 29 off the final over, DC’s Mukesh Ahmed dismissed Powell with the second ball, effectively ensuring DC’s victory.
With this win, Delhi Capitals have significantly bolstered their standing in the TATA IPL 2024 points table, making the competition for the playoff spots increasingly fierce.