Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs’s superlative effort at either ends of the batting innings gave DC a 200-plus total before Ishant Sharma derailed LSG’s chase. LSG still tried to catch up via Nicholas Pooran and Arshad Khan but fell short eventually. As a consequence of this result, Rajasthan Royals are through to the playoffs.
Where the game was won?
LSG losing four wickets in the PowerPlay set them back in a chase that was still gettable in the small venue at the national capital. Nicholas Pooran still dragged them to a good score in the period but the dent in the wickets column proved costly.
The PowerPlay difference
| Parameter | DC | LSG |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 73/1 | 59/4 |
| RR | 12.16 | 9.84 |
| 4s/6s | 6/5 | 7/3 |
Delhi Capitals
PowerPlay: Porel, Hope power through
Phase score – 73/1 [RR: 12.16, 4s/6s: 6/5]
KL Rahul was instantly rewarded for placing a long-on for Jake Fraser-McGurk as the Aussie found the fielder in his first big hit in the first over to fall for a duck. Abishek Porel and Shai Hope quickly moved on, with the former hitting three fours off Mohsin Khan in the second over. Arshad Khan, who dismissed the opener was hit for three fours and a six in a 21-run over by Porel. Hope decided to then match his young batting partner for shots and went after Yudhvir Singh with two fours and a six to bring up DC’s 50 in just 4 overs. Porel continued to swing for the fences successfully, as he hit four of the five sixes that DC hit in this period.
Middle-overs: Ravi Bishnoi applies the brakes
Phase score: 63/2 [RR: 7.00, 4s/6s: 8/1]
Porel brought up a 21-ball fifty but this phase belonged to the bowling side thanks to a relatively miserly spell of bowling from Ravi Bishnoi (1 for 26). The leggie used pace and his often used variation – the googly – to good effect as DC slowed down. Bishnoi also ended the flourishing second-wicket stand by dismissing Hope. Rahul brought back Naveen after his expensive first over in the PowerPlay and the Afghan struck straightaway to end Porel’s excellent essay at 58 off 33 – with 5 fours and 4 sixes. Rishabh Pant got a couple of fours off Krunal but Mohsin Khan bowled a five-run over to keep the lid on the scoring.
Death-overs: Stubbs pushes DC past 200
Phase score: 72/1 [RR: 14.40 4s/6: 6/4 ]
Tristan Stubbs went into the 16th over on 7 (9) and finished with an unbeaten 57 (25), tonking away to push DC past the 200-run mark. He started by whacking an Arshad Khan delivery and ended that over with two successive fours. Naveen-ul-Haq saw the back of the DC skipper in the 17th over but Stubbs continued to throw his bat around as he added 50 with Axar Patel, who contributed just 10 to the alliance. Even Mohsin Khan, who bowled three good overs copped the South African’s fury, as he smashed a six and four off him. Far more was in store for Naveen, who conceded two sixes and a four in his last over to finish with a forgettable spell of 2 for 51. Stubbs now has the most runs in the death-overs this IPL (252 @ SR of 262.5).
Lucknow Super Giants
PowerPlay: LSG lose four but Pooran tees off
Phase score – 59/4 [RR: 9.84, 4s/6s: 7/3]
KL Rahul miscued his first big shot of the match to fall in the first over from Ishant Sharma, who was getting the ball to swing. Ishant then took out the struggling Quinton de Kock with a slower one that the South African hit to mid-on. Marcus Stoinis thought of laying down the marker against spin and gave Axar the charge first ball, and was stumped. Nicholas Pooran walked out next and took advantage of the favourable match-up he enjoyed against left-arm spinners as he tonked two sixes and two fours in the same over. Ishant then dismissed Deepak Hooda next over to continue to make big dents on the tall chase.
Middle-overs: DC lose wickets and their way
Phase score – 76/3 [RR: 8.45; 4s/6s: 8/4]
Pooran started the phase by switch-hitting Kuldeep Yadav for a six before getting to 20-ball 50 in the ninth over even as Ayush Badoni departed just before. The Pooran vs DC mini-duel carried on past the halfway stage until a sharp, low one-handed take from Axar at cover off Mukesh Kumar ended the fantastic knock at 61 off just 27 balls (6×4,4×6). Arshad Khan and Krunal Pandya threw their bats around for 23 runs in the next two overs to show this chase didn’t end with Pooran’s exit, but DC bit back by making inroads. In his last over, Kuldeep had Axar out stumped, leaving the lower order to chase 74 off 30.
Death overs: Arshad Khan’s 58 (33) in vain
Phase score – 54/2 [RR: 4s/6s: 2/4]
Arshad Khan dragged the chase all the way to the end but couldn’t close it out as LSG just didn’t have enough batters to snare the big equation. Yudhvir Singh hit a six and four off Rasikh Salam but fell at the end of the next over from Khaleel in which Arshad hit two sixes and a four. LSG were eight down but the equation was a gettable 42 off 18. Arshad went after Salam once again to take it down to 29 off 12 but Mukesh Kumar bowled a fine penultimate over, where Ravi Bishnoi was run out and only six runs were hit. Arshad still took strike to try and fetch 23 off the last six. Salam did well to deny him that.
Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 208/4 in 20 overs (Abishek Porel 58, Tristan Stubbs 57*; Naveen Ul-Haq 2-51) beat Lucknow Super Giants 189/9 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61, Arshad Khan 58*; Ishant Sharma 3-34) by 19 runs
What next?
DC’s league stage is done. They now wait for the slim chance of other results going their way to an extent that can nudge them up to fourth. LSG take on MI at Wankhede on May 17 with their hopes too hanging by the thinnest of threads.
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