In a gripping contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Delhi Capitals (DC) emerged victorious against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by a margin of 19 runs in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Displaying strong team cohesion, DC posted an impressive total of 208 on what was considered a good batting pitch. Although LSG’s batters posed a substantial threat, DC’s bowlers maintained their composure and ensured that the crucial two points were secured.
Winning the toss, LSG decided to bowl first, and their strategy paid off immediately. The formidable Jake Fraser-McGurk aimed to set the tone with a powerful shot, but he only managed to send the ball skywards and was caught at long-on off Arshad Khan in the very first over.
Despite this early setback, DC counter-attacked thanks to Abishek Porel, who put on a rugged and exhilarating performance. Showcasing his talent, Porel launched into Mohsin Khan in the second over with an audacious upper-cut six. In the following over by Arshad, Porel collected 21 runs with a combination of a six and three fours, including an eye-catching cover drive. When Yudhvir Singh took the ball in the fourth over, an in-form Shai Hope joined the fray, leading to another 16 runs. DC closed out the powerplay strongly, scoring 17 runs off Naveen-ul-Haq’s over, punctuated by Porel’s flat-six over fine-leg.
Post powerplay, the run-rate dipped slightly. Hope, who contributed a fine 38 off 27 balls, cleared the ground for six off Ravi Bishnoi but was subsequently caught by KL Rahul, who managed to grab the ball on a second attempt after initially fumbling it. During this period, Porel reached his half-century from just 21 balls. However, LSG clawed their way back by dismissing Porel for 58 in the 12th over.
As the innings progressed, Tristan Stubbs took center stage, scoring an unbeaten 57 off 25 balls, and played a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings alongside Rishabh Pant, who made a quick 33 off 23 balls. Pant was flamboyant as ever, delighting the audience with his trademark shots through the leg-side and some cheeky strokes, including a slice through third-man off Naveen-ul-Haq that was particularly entertaining. Pant’s innings came to an end in the 17th over.
Stubbs continued to dominate, ensuring DC breezed past 200. He ramped up the scoring rate when DC was at 136 for three after 15 overs by attacking Arshad for a six and two fours. DC accumulated 45 runs in the last three overs, with the penultimate over yielding 21 runs. Stubbs registered his half-century off a mere 22 balls by smashing a six off Naveen.
. This late burst propelled DC to a formidable total of 208 for four.
LSG’s chase got off to a rocky start, thanks largely to veteran Ishant Sharma, who delivered a stellar performance in the powerplay, claiming three crucial wickets. He first got Rahul to sky one to cover, followed by Quinton de Kock’s dismissal at mid-on in the third over. Axar Patel was introduced in the fourth over and wasted no time, stumping Marcus Stoinis off his first delivery. At 24 for three, LSG appeared to be in dire straits as Nicholas Pooran took the crease.
Pooran quickly got into his stride, targeting the leg-side for runs. Despite Axar taking a wicket off his first ball, Pooran went on a rampage, smashing two fours and two sixes for 20 runs in the over. Ishant continued his heroics for DC by trapping Deepak Hooda lbw off the first ball of the next over. By the end of the powerplay, LSG was at 59 but had lost four wickets, with Pooran racing to 32 off 11 balls.
In the following overs, Pooran regularly found boundaries, keeping LSG in contention even as Ayush Badoni fell. Pooran sped to his fifty in just 20 balls, and LSG’s hopes of victory rested squarely on his shoulders. However, their aspirations took a significant hit when Mukesh Kumar dismissed Pooran for 32 in the 12th over, courtesy of a low catch by Axar Patel at cover. With the scoreboard reading 101 for six, DC seemed well on their way to victory.
Nonetheless, T20 cricket is synonymous with unexpected twists, and Arshad Khan rekindled hopes for LSG with a courageous inning. Displaying commendable persistence, Arshad targeted the boundaries, particularly down the ground, and brought LSG back into the match with a rapid 25-ball fifty. Yudhvir Singh also made a noteworthy contribution, scoring 14 runs with a six and a four.
As the match reached its climax, LSG needed 29 runs off the last two overs with only two wickets remaining. However, Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam held their nerve, restricting Arshad and preventing any boundaries in the decisive overs. This disciplined bowling ensured DC’s victory and propelled them to the fifth spot on the points table. DC’s playoff aspirations now hinge on favorable outcomes in other matches.