Stun table toppers Rajasthan Royals by 20-run

Another sublime all-round performance by Delhi Capitals ensured them a clinical 20-run win over table toppers Rajasthan Royals in their 12th match of the IPL 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. With six wins and six losses the Rishabh Pant led side have moved up to the fifth place in the points table and joined the likes of Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants  who will fight for a place in the play-off’s . 

Delhi Capitals posted a competitive score of 221 for 8 in their 20 overs after being put into bat, courtesy of remarkable knocks from their openers Abishek Porel (65 off 36 balls) and  Jake Fraser-McGurk (50 off 20 balls) and later by middle order batter Tristan Stubbs (41 off 20 balls). A collective bowling effort from Kuldeep Yadav (2/25), Mukesh Kumar (2/30) and Khaleel Ahmed (2/47) helped the home side to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 201 for 8, despite rival skipper Sanju Samson’s 86  runs blitz off 46 balls

Reflecting on the performance Delhi Capitals' Assistant Coach Pravin Amre said, "We batted well to get those 20 runs extra. We have to give credit to Stubbs because his 41/20 balls were so important for the team".

"The pressure was there (in bowling), it wasn't easy, there were like 12 runs per over required. Rasikh, for the third time, delivered when the team needed it. In the 19th over, bowling those five yorkers, was something special. Kuldeep bowling that 18th over and getting 2 wickets was crucial," he added.  

Speaking about Sanju Samson's sensational catch by Shai Hope at the edge of long on boundary off pacer Mukesh Kumar in the 16^th over of the match, Amre said, "Some momentums are very crucial, these are the decisive moments in a game."

"Sanju was batting so well, and we have to give credit to the way Hope judged the catch. It wasn't an easy catch, he anticipated that very well and after the game he said the ball came very fast," he added.

Rajasthan Royals will next take on five times former champions Chennai Super Kings on 12 May in day game for the first day-game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in IPL 2024, while Delhi Capitals will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next match of IPL 2024 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday night .

Brief Scores:

Delhi Capitals - 221/8 (Abhishek Porel 65 (36b: 7x4s, 3x6s), Jake Fraser-McGurk 50 (20b: 7x4s, 3x6s), Tristan Stubbs 41 (20b: 3x4s, 3x6s); Ravichandran Ashwin 3/24, Sandeep Sharma 1/42,Trent Boult 1/48, Yuzvendra Chahal 1/48) beat Rajasthan Royals - 201/8 (Sanju Samson 86 (46b: 8x4s, 6x6s), Riyan Parag 27 (22b: 1x4s, 3x6s), Shubham Dubey (25b: 12b: 2x4s); Kuldeep Yadav 2/26, Mukesh Kumar 2/30, Khaleel Ahmed 2/47, Axar Patel 1/25, Rasikh Dar Salam 1/36) by 20 runs. Player of the Match: Kuldeep Yadav (Delhi Capitals)

Photo Above: Player of the Match Kuldeep Yadav  who bowled a game-changing 18th over that saw him pick 2 wickets for just 4 runs derailed Rajasthan Royals hope of a win in their second 200 runs chase in succession is being congratulated by his team mates (Photo courtesy BCCI)