The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi witnessed an exhilarating TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match, where the Delhi Capitals (DC) clinched a vital 19-run victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). This win not only underscores Delhi’s resilience but also keeps their playoff hopes alive, propelling them to the fifth spot on the points table.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, LSG got off to a dream start by dismissing the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk in the very first over. Arshad Khan, with a brilliant delivery, forced Fraser-McGurk to sky the ball to long-on, where he was comfortably caught. With DC on the back foot early on, it was Abishek Porel who launched a counter-offensive with a series of impressive shots that set the tone for the rest of the innings.
In the second over, Porel displayed his prowess by sending a Mohsin Khan delivery over the boundary with an upper-cut for six. The next over saw Porel take on Arshad, plundering 21 runs, including a six and three fours, with a spectacular cover-drive being the highlight. Shai Hope joined the action, taking Yudhvir Singh for 16 runs in the fourth over. The powerplay concluded with a bang for DC as Naveen-ul-Haq conceded 17 runs in his over, with Porel executing a flat-six over fine-leg.
Post powerplay, the batting tempo slowed down, but DC managed to maintain a strong grip. Amid the reduced run-rate, Hope hit a six off Ravi Bishnoi but soon after, attempting another big shot, was caught by KL Rahul at cover for 38 off 27 balls. During this period, Porel reached his half-century in just 21 balls, but his dismissal in the 12th over for 58 runs signaled a comeback attempt by LSG.
Tristan Stubbs then took center stage, playing a crucial unbeaten innings of 57 off 25 balls. He was ably supported by Rishabh Pant, who contributed 33 off 23 balls, entertaining the crowd with five boundary shots. Pant’s show included a memorable four through third-man, despite losing his grip on the bat. His innings ended in the 17th over, but Stubbs continued his assault.
Stubbs’s aggressive batting saw DC surpass the 200-run mark. He launched a fierce attack on Arshad, scoring a six and two fours in one over. In the final three overs, DC amassed 45 runs, with a penultimate over costing LSG 21 runs. Stubbs reached his fifty off just 22 balls, capping off his innings with a six off Naveen.
With a formidable score of 208 for four on the board, DC’s bowlers needed to deliver, and they did just that.
. Veteran Ishant Sharma was the star with an excellent spell during the powerplay, picking up three critical wickets. It all began with KL Rahul, who was induced to sky a ball to cover. In the third over, Ishant struck again, dismissing Quinton de Kock caught at mid-on. Axar Patel was introduced in the fourth over and promptly stumped Marcus Stoinis off his first ball. This left LSG struggling at 24 for three, but Nicholas Pooran came in with aggressive intent.
Pooran immediately targeted the leg-side boundaries. Although Axar claimed a wicket off his first ball, the over saw Pooran hitting two fours and two sixes. Ishant, returning for another spell, trapped Deepak Hooda leg-before in the very next over. Despite the early breakthroughs, Pooran’s quickfire innings of 32 off 11 balls kept LSG’s hopes alive.
As Pooran continued to find boundaries, Ayush Badoni fell cheaply, but Pooran raced to his fifty off only 20 balls. Unfortunately for LSG, their primary hope was dashed when Pooran was caught at cover off Mukesh Kumar in the 12th over, courtesy of a brilliant low catch by Axar Patel. With LSG at 101 for six, DC seemed destined for victory.
However, the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket came to the fore as Arshad Khan staged a valiant fightback. He targeted the boundaries with remarkable ease, carting sixes with conviction and bringing LSG back into contention with a 25-ball fifty. He received brief support from Yudhvir Singh, who managed a short but impactful cameo of 14 runs, including a six and four.
With 29 runs needed off the last two overs, and only two wickets in hand, the outcome was hanging in balance. Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam held their nerves, delivering tight overs and not allowing Arshad any boundary shots in the crucial final moments. This disciplined and controlled bowling ensured DC’s victory was secured without further scares.
This triumph against LSG keeps the Delhi Capitals’ playoff dreams alive. Although they need other match results to favor them, this win certainly provides the momentum and confidence to push forward in the tournament.