DC management gives crucial update on Axar Patel's injury after six-wicket win over RCB

Delhi Capitals (DC) notched a thrilling win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on April 18. The contest culminated in a 6-wicket win for DC, who relied on the experienced finishing skills of David Miller to guide them over the line.

Axar Patel he will be fit for the next game: DC Director of Cricket

The run chase, however, was marred by a moment of physical distress for Delhi captain Axar Patel. Suffering from severe leg cramps, Patel was forced to retire hurt and struggled significantly to leave the field. In a touching display of sportsmanship that highlighted the camaraderie of the game, RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya stepped in to assist the Capitals' skipper, offering him a shoulder to lean on as he made his way off the ground.

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Following the conclusion of the match, Axar Patel was unable to attend the post-match presentation ceremony, with KL Rahul stepping in to represent the team. Subsequently, in the post-match press conference, DC's Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao came out with a crucial update on Axar's injury.

"Axar Patel has had a cramp, he will be fit for the next game. Last game he has done the role, Stubbs. We are blessed to have him. Born and brought up here. Used all his experience, the kind of role we have given him, he is fulfilling it. Birthday boy," Venugopal said after the match.

How did the match unfold?

Talking about the match, DC won the toss and elected to field first. Virat Kohli and Phil Salt provided a promising start to RCB. Though Kohli was eventually dismissed for 19. Salt continued to look comfortable on the challenging deck, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 63 off 38 deliveries. However, RCB suffered a collapse during the middle overs, losing five wickets for just 50 runs. While Tim David injected some much-needed momentum with a quickfire 26 off 17 balls, the Delhi Capitals' disciplined bowling effort successfully restricted the reigning champions to a total of 175/8.

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DC's run chase got off to a rocky start, as they found themselves in early trouble at 18/3 after the dismissals of Pathum Nissanka, Karun Nair, and Sameer Rizvi. The recovery was spearheaded by KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs, who stabilized the innings. Rahul delighted the home crowd with a composed 57-run half-century, keeping the Capitals competitive.

As the match reached its climax, Stubbs partnered with Axar Patel to keep the scoreboard moving. Even after Patel was forced to retire hurt due to severe cramps, the Capitals remained determined. David Miller provided a stunning finish, smashing 22 off just 10 balls to snatch victory from RCB’s grasp in the final moments.