The Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a paradise for batsmen in the IPL 2024. The pitches have been absolute belters, with the ball disappearing for boundaries and sixes at an alarming rate. This trend continued when the Delhi Capitals faced off against the Mumbai Indians on April 27. The Capitals went on a massive rampage, posting their highest ever IPL total of 257 for 4 wickets, thanks to a flurry of 22 boundaries and 17 sixes. Mumbai, determined to chase down the mammoth target, adopted a similar aggressive approach. After losing their top three batsmen early, Mumbai found themselves in a precarious situation. However, a crucial 71-run partnership between Tim David and Tilak Varma revived their hopes. Unfortunately, during their onslaught, a six from David's bat caused injury to a fan in the stands who attempted to catch the ball.
A six goes awry
It was the 14th over, and Khaleel Ahmed sent down a slower ball. Tim David, known for his power hitting, shuffled across the crease and launched a mighty swing, sending the ball soaring over the cow corner boundary. In the stands, a fan excitedly reached out for a potential catch, but the ball took an unexpected turn and struck him squarely in the face. The impact left him bleeding, and he was understandably shaken. Security personnel quickly rushed to his aid and escorted him out for medical attention.
Wishes pour in
The Delhi Capitals took to social media, expressing their concern for the injured fan and wishing him a speedy recovery. Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan also chimed in with his well wishes, hoping the fan would be alright.
DC's batting blitz
This incident serves as a reminder of the inherent risks associated with the game, even for spectators. However, it doesn't take away from the exciting batting displays witnessed at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this IPL season. The pitches have been flat and true, favoring the batsmen. Earlier, the Sunrisers Hyderabad capitalised on this to set the highest total in IPL history. Delhi Capitals followed suit, posting back-to-back scores exceeding 200 runs.
Set a mammoth target of 258 runs thanks to a fiery batting display by Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs, the Delhi Capitals put Mumbai Indians on the back foot early. In reply, despite scoring briskly in the powerplay, MI lost their top three batsmen – Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav.
A valiant knock by Hardik Pandya (46 off 24 balls) briefly rekindled Mumbai's hopes. Later, Tilak Varma and Tim David stitched together a quickfire partnership of 70 runs off just 29 balls. However, it proved insufficient in the face of the daunting total. Mumbai Indians fell short by 10 runs, managing only 247/9 on the scoreboard.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
