Delhi Capitals (DC) playoffs chances take a major hit after six-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. KL Rahul-led LSG moved up to the second position with their seventh win of the tournament. Chasing a big target, DC fell well short of the target despite a late surge from Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav which kept LSG fans on the edge of their seats.
Openers disappoint
DC were disappointed at the start of their run chase as both openers Prithvi Shaw and David Warner registered single-digit scores. Dushmantha Chameera drew first blood by getting the wicket of Shaw. Mohsin Khan got the wicket of dangerous Warner to push DC on the back foot.
Sudden surge
Pant targetted Krunal Pandya in the fourth over and hit him for a couple of fours and sixes. Marsh joined the party as well with a couple of sixes off Jason Holder. The duo finished the powerplay overs well with a 17-run over. At 66/2, DC's run chase was revived.
Marsh’s mistake
Marsh was looking at his best but then a judgement call cost his wicket. Marsh did not use DRS when he was given out in the eighth over. The ultraedge showed that there was no deflection off the bat. The Australian batter scored 37 runs from just 20 deliveries including three fours and as many sixes.
Pant-Powell fail to carry on
Marsh’s wicket affected Pant’s strike rate. In the ninth over, Lalit Yadav’s wicket put more pressure on him. Rovman Powell joined him in the middle and played some big shots. Meanwhile, Pant struggled and threw his wicket away as he got bowled by Mohsin in the 13th over.
While required run rate was going up, Powell and Axar Patel’s presence meant that they were still in the run chase. But left-arm pacer Mohsin struck again and got rid of Powell who contributed with a 21-ball 35. In the same over, Shardul Thakur got out as well making the run chase almost seem impossible.
Axar-Kuldeep keep it interesting
With 47 needed off 20 balls, all seemed lost but Axar hit a few boundaries to keep the viewers interested. Kuldeep contributed too with a boundary in the penultimate over.
In the last over, DC needed 21 runs. Rahul handed the ball to Marcus Stoinis. The last over got off to a terrific start for DC as Kuldeep struck a short slower delivery for a six. But no more boundaries were scored off the next four deliveries despite Axar getting the strike. The southpaw hit a six off the last ball but DC ended up falling short of the target by seven runs. Axar remained unbeaten for 24-ball 42 in the losing cause.
Fiery start
Quinton de Kock and Rahul got LSG got off to a good start. The wicketkeeper-batter targetted DC new-ball bowlers and scored a quickfire 13-ball 23 including three fours and one six. Thakur got the breakthrough in his first over during the fielding restrictions. Despite the wicket, LSG posted 57/1 in the powerplay overs.
Big runs in middle overs
Coming in to bat at no.3, Deepak Hooda took on DC’s in-form bowler Kuldeep Yadav by hitting him for two boundaries in the first over. The left-arm chinaman’s second over was targetted too by Hooda and Rahul. Axar bowled economically but his overs were completed in the middle overs itself.
Rahul reached his half-century from 35 deliveries in the 13th over. In the next over, Hooda reached his half-century as well from 32 deliveries. However, Hooda could not continue and lost his wicket to Thakur. He scored 52 runs from 34 deliveries including six fours and one six. The two shared a 95-run partnership for the second wicket.
LSG post above par total
Stoinis joined Rahul in the middle but was not effective in slog overs. Rahul did the bulk of scoring with a few big hits. In the penultimate over, Thakur got another wicket. The opener scored 77 runs from 51 deliveries including four fours and five sixes. Krunal did not hit a boundary but ran hard between the wickets for nine runs scored off six deliveries. Stoinis hit a six off Mustafizur Rahman in the last over to help LSG post 195/3.
