Sameer Rizvi shines as Delhi Capitals clinch thrilling chase against Punjab in Jaipur

JAIPUR: Sameer Rizvi played a stunning match-winning knock of unbeaten 58 off just 25 balls as Delhi Capitals (DC) chased a challenging target of 207 to beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 19.3 overs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday. Rizvi’s explosive innings, featuring three boundaries and four sixes, helped seal a dramatic six-wicket win for the Capitals.

Punjab Kings have already qualified for the playoffs, and are sitting at the second spot with seventeen points.

Rizvi, who came in during the latter stages of the chase, found an able partner in Tristan Stubbs (18*), and the duo ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding Delhi to victory with three balls to spare.

Delhi Capitals got off to a solid start with openers KL Rahul and captain Faf du Plessis putting on a 55-run stand. Rahul looked in fine touch, scoring 35 off 21 balls, before being dismissed by South African pacer Marco Jansen. Du Plessis, who contributed 23, fell soon after to Harpreet Brar, leaving Punjab at 65/2 in 6.4 overs.

Debutant Sediqullah Atal made an immediate impact with a brisk 22 off 16 deliveries, which included two sixes, but his promising innings was cut short by leg-spinner Praveen Dubey.

Delhi reached 100 in 10.4 overs. After Atal’s dismissal, Karun Nair and Rizvi stitched together a crucial 62-run partnership. Nair scored a quickfire 44 off 27 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes, before being bowled by Brar.

For Punjab Kings, Harpreet Brar was the standout bowler, picking up 2 for 41. Jansen, despite taking an early wicket, proved expensive with figures of 1/41 in his four overs. Dubey ended with 1/20 in his two overs.

Earlier, a majestic fifty from Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer and a fiery innings from Marcus Stoinis powered PBKS to 206/8 in their 20 overs, against Delhi Capitals, in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

PBKS was asked to bat first by DC skipper Faf du Plessis. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh opened the Punjab innings. Arya was removed early, as DC seamer Mustafizur Rahman removed him for 6 in the second over. Wicketkeeper/batter Josh Inglis joined Prabhsimran in the middle.

Inglis counterattacked the DC bowler and made a vital contribution of 32 runs in just 12 balls before he was removed by Vipraj Nigam in the last over of the power-play. PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer joined Prabhsimran in the middle.

Prabhsimran smashed the veteran spinner Kuldeep right after the powerplay, hitting him for 14 runs in his first over. In the following over, Nigam cleaned up Prabhsimran for 28 (18). His innings included four fours and a six. Nehal Wadhera joined the Punjab skipper in the middle.

After 10 overs, PBKS were 97/3, Shreyas Iyer 18 (14), Nehal Wadhera 10 (8). Punjab crossed the 100-run mark in the 11th. In the following over, Mukesh Kumar removed Wadhera for 16 (16), and Shashank Singh joined Iyer in the middle.

In the 16th over, Mustafizur removed Shashank for 11 (10), and Marcus Stoinis joined Iyer in the middle. In the following over, PBKS crossed the 150-run mark, as Stoinis and Iyer smashed Mukesh for 25 runs in the 17th over. Iyer crossed his fifty in the same over.DC seamer Mohit Sharma dropped an easy catch of Stoinis on the first ball of the 18th over. However, Kuldeep Yadav removed Shreyas Iyer on the following ball for 53(34). His innings included five fours and two sixes. Omarzai joined Stoinis in the middle.

Kuldeep took two wickets in the 18th over, removing the new batter Omarzai for one. Stoinis took on Mohit Sharma in the second last over of the innings, smashing him for 22 runs, including fours and sixes each.PBKS finish their innings on 206/8, DC will have to bat well to chase 207 when they come out to bat.

In bowling, Mustafizur Rahman (3/33) was the pick of the bowlers for Delhi, the spin duo of Kuldeep and Vipraj took two wickets each.

Brief score: Punjab Kings 206/8 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 53, Marcus Stoinis 44; Mustafizur Rahman (3/33) vs. Delhi Capitals 208/4 in 19.3 overs (Sameer Rizvi 58*, Karun Nair 44; Harpreet Brar 2/41). (ANI)