Delhi Capitals’ incisive bowling in the PowerPlay flattened Rajasthan Royals’ chase and eventually proved decisive in the team’s resounding 33-run victory in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
With its eighth win in 10 matches, DC regained the top spot and virtually assured itself of a berth in the playoffs. Although the side has not technically made it yet, no team with 16 points in a 14-match season has failed to finish in the top four.
RR, eyeing a victory to jump to third, slipped to sixth after nine matches.
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Chasing a target of 155, RR skipper Sanju Samson (70 n.o., 53 balls, 8x4, 1x6) played a lone hand. He hit all the fours of the innings and survived a dropped catch by Shikhar Dhawan on 57.
The standout feature of Samson’s batting was how cleverly he nudged the ball behind the wickets. He also smashed one down the ground and collected three fours off a Kagiso Rabada over that fetched 14 runs.
Despite Samson’s valiant effort, RR never threatened DC after being reduced to 17 for three in the fifth over. Captain and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant had a hand in the dismissals of openers Liam Livingstone, Yashasvi Jaiswal and the dangerous David Miller.
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Slipping further
The departures of Mahipal Lomror and Riyan Parag made it 55 for five. Thereafter, DC’s victory was never in doubt.
RR’s PowerPlay score of 21 for three was the lowest for the season; Mumbai Indians also managed just 21 against Punjab Kings in Chennai, but lost two fewer wickets.
Earlier, DC struggled on a slow pitch after losing Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw early. Shreyas Iyer and Pant rotated the strike well and went on to add 62 runs mainly because 43 came off the five overs bowled by spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Rahul Tewatia after the PowerPlay.
But in the space of 11 deliveries, Pant (24 off 24 balls) and Shreyas (43 off 32) departed to make it 90 for four in the 14th over.
Shimron Hetmyer (28 off 16) looked in great touch before his intended slog ended in a catch. Soon Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel and R. Ashwin ensured that the final three overs produced 30 runs to give DC a fighting tally that eventually proved a winning one.