NEW DELHI : Kuldeep Yadav’s game-changing 17th over combined with Mukesh Kumar taking key wickets at the crucial points kept Delhi Capitals alive in their hunt for a spot in the playoffs following their 20-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Kuldeep in his 17th over conceded just four runs and picked two wickets which helped DC take advantage in the final moments of the game.
DC scored 53 runs in the final three overs while the Royals managed only 20 runs which played a key role in their defeat and at the same time kept DC’s hopes alive.
While chasing 222, the Royals adopted a similar approach of going berserk in the powerplay despite losing a couple of wickets.
Jos Buttler came in as an impact substitute for the visitors and failed to make much of an impact along with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Jaiswal found the fence on the first ball of the first over but Khaleel Ahmed struck on the next ball to dismiss the young opener.
The World Cup-bound opener’s dismissal introduced Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson who went all guns blazing.
Buttler found two boundaries and tonked a maximum before Axar breached through his defence and dislodged his stumps in the final over of the powerplay.
RR ended the powerplay with a score of 67/2.
The Royals skipper went on to forge a 36-run stand with Riyan Parag (27) and then a 59-run stand with Shubham Dubey.
Khallel bowled four consecutive wides in the 14th over which helped RR maintain the asking rate.
Samson (86) seemed well poised to hit the three-digit mark but Mukesh Kumar dismissed the set batter with Shai Hope taking a sharp catch at the boundary.
With four overs left and Royals 52 runs behind, Shubham struck a six and a four in the first two balls off Khaleel to take the visitors close to the target. Khaleel once again had the last laugh with a short ball to dismiss Shubham (25).
Debutant Donovan Ferreira’s moment to shine was stolen away by Kuldeep Yadav in a game-changing 18th over. The ‘Chinaman’ spinner struck back in the same over by claiming Ravichandran Ashwin’s wicket.
The Royals needed Rovman Powell’s big hitting at the death and he delivered with a towering six off Rasikh Dar Salam when the visitors needed 35 runs in 9 deliveries.
With 29 runs needed in 6 deliveries, Boult took a single to put Powell on strike and make the equation 28 runs in 5 balls.
Mukesh put the final nail in the coffin with a curving yorker making Powell (13) lose his shape and dislodge the bails off the stumps.
DC sealed a comprehensive 20-run win.
Earlier in the innings, after being put to bat first by the Royals, Delhi had a fine start with Jake Fraser McGurk once again taking the aggressor role and reducing Abhishek Porel to a mere spectator at the non-striker’s end.
The Australian shifted to another gear in the third over by Trent Boult, first launching him for a lofted straight drive for six and two fine boundaries in the first three balls of the over. After winning this mini-battle against the New Zealander, McGurk absolutely demolished Avesh Khan in the next over, hitting him for four boundaries and two massive sixes over long-off and deep mid-wicket, a boundary on every ball.
DC reached the 50-run mark in just 3.5 overs. On the next ball, McGurk reached his own fifty with seven fours and three sixes. However, he gave away his wicket at a high full toss by Ravichandran Ashwin, with his catch picked at the covers by Donovan Ferreira. DC was 60/1 in 4.2 overs.
In the next over, Shai Hope was run out for just one run by Sandeep Sharma. DC were 68/2 in 5.1 overs.
At the end of the powerplay in six overs, DC were 78/2, with Axar Patel (5*) and Porel (22*) unbeaten.
Porel then turned his attention to spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Riyan Parag, hitting them for some fine boundaries and sixes. DC reached the 100-run mark in 8.2 overs.
Ashwin cut short this promising partnership, removing Axar for 15 in 10 balls. DC were 110/3 in 9.2 overs.
At the end of 10 overs, DC were 115/3, with Porel (46*) joined by skipper Rishabh Pant (2*).
Porel reached the first half-century of the season in 28 balls, with five fours and three sixes. Porel’s audacious knock was cut short by a fine catch from Sandeep Sharma, giving Ashwin his third wicket. The left-hander was back in the hut for 65 in 36 balls, with seven fours and three sixes. DC were 144/4 in 12.4 overs.
DC reached the 150-run mark in 13.4 overs.
Skipper Pant was dismissed for just 15 in 13 balls by Chahal, after a sweep shot could not find the right elevation and landed into Boult’s hands at fine leg. DC were 150/5 in 13.5 overs.
In the death overs, Tristan Stubbs and Gulbadin Naib rebuilt the innings, easing all the pressure in the 18th over of the innings which was bowled by Chahal, smashing him for three fours and a six, with Stubbs being the key aggressor.
The partnership between Gulbadin and Tristan was snapped by Boult, who got assistance from Ashwin to remove the Afghanistan all-rounder for 19 in 15 balls. DC were 195/6 in 18.4 overs and the 45-run stand was over.
Impact player Rasikh Dar Salam came and made an immediate impact with two scoops over the wicketkeeper, bringing up the 200-run mark for DC in 19 overs.
Stubbs started the final over bowled by Sandeep with two massive sixes. However, on the next ball, Sandeep trapped him leg-before-wicket for 41. DC were 215/7 in 19.3 overs.
DC ended their innings at 221/8 in the allotted 20 overs, with Rasikh run out on the final ball of the innings and Kuldeep Yadav unbeaten on 5*.
Ashwin (3/24) was the pick of the bowlers for RR while Sandeep, Boult and Chahal got a wicket each.
Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals: 221/8 (Abhishek Porel 63, Jake Fraser McGurk 50, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/24) vs Rajasthan Royals 201/8 (Sanju Samson 86, Riyan Parag 27; Kuldeep Yadav 2-25). (ANI)