Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Gurkeerat Mann, Marcus Stoinis tried hard to keep their team in the hunt for the playoffs of the IPL 2019. But Delhi Capitals’ (DC) bowlers pulled things back following a brilliant show with the bat from Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Sherfane Rutherford.
The hosts won the game by 16 runs only to top the points table on the basis of net run-rate by restricting guest at 171 for seven. With this, Capitals have qualified for the playoffs after Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Stoinis remained not out on 32 off 24 balls. On the other side, Washington Sundar faces two balls for a run.
Now, Delhi has bagged 16 points in 12 matches. Amit Mishra and Kagiso Rabada bagged two wickets each. Also, Rutherford, Ishant Sharma and Axar Patel bagged wicket apiece.
The turning point:
Ishant conceded 16 runs off the 17th over when Mann opted for big shots. However, he bowled a splendid 19th over to pick Mann’s wicket before giving away just runs.
2nd Innings – RCB:
In response to the well over the par total on a Delhi surface, visitors relied upon an astounding start.
Parthiv Patel alongside Virat Kohli has battered the hosts best bowling line-up by slamming 63 in 5.5 overs.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Patel was the first to return to the hut after scoring quickfire 39 off 20 balls. The southpaw played some delightful strokes to collect seven boundaries and a six to his name.
Axar Patel after taking Patel’s catch deliver with the ball by bagging a prized scalp in the form of Virat Kohli. The batting star consumed 17 balls for his 23 runs.
For the third wicket, AB de Villiers alongside Shivam Dubey added 35 runs for the third wicket before Axar caught him at the boundary ropes on the bowling of Sherfane Rutherford.
Dubey, who started off on a brilliant note by hitting the ball well, couldn’t continue his innings. He struck two sixes in his 24-run knock after facing 16 balls. Amit Mishra has accounted for his wicket when Shikhar Dhawan has completed a simple catch.’
A soft dismissal came in the form of Heinrich Klaasen 3 (3) when Pant caught the former on the bowling of Mishra.
Mann scored 27 off just 19 balls before acrobatic Pant took a stunning catch behind the stumps.
1st innings – DC
As Capitals’ skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss, he decided to bat first against resurgent RCB.
While kicking-off the innings for Capitals, Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan paced up the innings by scoring 35 in 3.3 overs. Speedster Umesh Yadav draws first blood in the form of young Shaw 18 (10).
However, for the second-wicket Iyer and Dhawan added crucial 68 runs for the second wicket.
Of late, the southpaw, Dhawan has looked in ominous touch, blasted 37-ball 50 with the help of five fours and two sixes.
In between, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant couldn’t do much before falling in the web of Yuzvendra Chahal. He scored run-a-ball seven which included a boundary.
On the other side, Iyer has amassed 52 off 37 deliveries which included three sixes and two fours.
At the fag end of the innings, Colin Ingram tried to provide the impetus but returned to the pavilion after scoring seven-ball 11.
In a supreme show, Sherfane Rutherford played a cameo of 13-ball 28. His innings was laced with three sixes and a boundary. Besides, Axar Patel struck three fours. The left-handed batsman faced nine deliveries for his 16.
The duo added vital 46 off just 19 deliveries to set a competitive total for the guests.
For RCB, Chahal bagged two wickets, whereas, Umesh Yadav, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini bagged wicket apiece.
Here’s the scorecard of Delhi Capitals:
