New Delhi: Delhi Capitals (DC) bowlers held their nerves as the side defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 19 runs in a league game of the Indian Premier League at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Tuesday.
Batting first, Delhi Capitals posted a challenging 208 for 4 and then restricted the opposition to 189/9. Arshad Khan, who slammed a quickfire unbeaten 58 off just 33 balls, created a scare for Delhi Capitals and raised hopes of a LSG win, but eventually it was Rasikh Salam, who ensured that Delhi Capitals ended their campaign with a win.
The result also means that Rajasthan Royals became the second team after Kolkata Knight Riders to make the play offs.
Batting first, Delhi rode on blistering half centuries by opener Abhishek Porel (58 off 33 balls) and Tristan Stubbs (57 not out off 25 balls) as yet again the 200-run total was breached in this edition of the cash-rich league. All the Lucknow Super Giants bowlers had an off day in the field as they were taken to task by the Delhi batters.
LSG kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Arshad's knock only reduced the margin of defeat.
Here are the updates from the second innings:
Over 17-20 (189/9)
It was Arshad Khan, who raised the hopes of a Lucknow Super Giants win, with some brisk hitting in the end. But it was too little and too late. Arshad remained unbeaten on 58 but could not secure a win for his side. For Delhi Capitals, pacer Rasikh Salam bowled a spectacular final over as the Rishabh Pant-led side ended the campaign on a high. Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, who returned with fine figures of 3/34, was adjudged as the Player of the Match. Lucknow Super Giants play their final game against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 17, but they are now too out of reckoning for a play off berth.
Over 11-16 (149/7)
It was pacer Mukesh Kumar who dismissed a set Nicholas Pooran (61 off 27 balls), who was looking dangerous, on the first ball of the 12th over. Pooran was caught by Axar Patel at cover and from here on, it was just a matter of time. Arshad Khan, who joined Axar in the middle, was playing an aggressive knock and taking on the bowlers, but still the required run rate, was above 14 runs per over. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav got his maiden wicket after Rishabh Pant stumped Krunal Pandya (18 off 18 balls) in the 15th over as the visitors lost their seventh wicket and were staring at a defeat. Delhi Capitals needed just three more wickets to seal the game. Yudhvir Singh Charak smashed Rasikh Salam a boundary and a six as Lucknow Super Giants amassed 14 runs off the 16th over. Lucknow Super Giants needed 60 runs off the last four overs to seal an improbable win.
Over 7-10 (97/5)
Ayush Badoni (6 off 9 balls) was the next batter to be dismissed and it was Tristan Stubbs, who got his wicket in the eighth over. Lucknow Super Giants lost half of their side for just 71 runs. Nicholas Pooran was undeterred by the fall of wickets at the other hand and was taking the game deep. He notched up his fifty in the ninth over off just 20 balls. Krunal Pandya has joined Pooran in the middle. They amassed 12 runs in the 10th over as the visitors at the half-way stage were poised at 97/5. It was still a herculean task for the KL Rahul-led side.
Over 1-6 (59/4)
Lucknow Super Giants had a horrible start to the chase as they lost both their openers cheaply and in quick succession. It was veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, who first dismissed rival skipper K L Rahul (5), who was caught by Mukesh Kumar in the first over itself. Ishant then sent back Quinton de Kock (12 off 8 balls) in the third over as the visitors were in a spot of bother at 24/2. de Kock was too caught by Mukesh Kumar. It soon became 24/3 as left-arm spinner Axar Patel dismissed the dangerous Marcus Stoinis (5 off 7 balls), who had walked one-down. Stonis was stumped by Rishabh Pant on the first ball of the fourth over. Ishant Sharma was on a roll and his next victim was Deepak Hooda, who was trapped in front of the wickets as Lucknow Super Giants slipped to 44/4 and from here it was an uphill task for them. It seemed like Nicholas Pooran, who has till now hammered two boundaries and three sixes, was waging a lone battle. The impact player Ayush Badoni joined Pooran in the middle. Pooran kept playing his shots even as Lucknow Super Giants ended the powerplay at 59/4 as they still needed 150 runs from 14 overs.
Here are the updates from the first innings:
Over 15-20 (208/4)
Mohsin Khan just conceded four runs off the 15th over as only four singles came off it. In the next over, KL Rahul handed over the ball to Arshad Khan, who had leaked 27 runs in his first two overs. Delhi Capitals needed some big shots and Tristan Stubbs stuck a maximum over long on region on the third ball of the 16th over, which put pressure on Arshad. Stubbs hammered two successive boundaries in the same over as Arshad had an off day. Arshad now has leaked 45 runs in his three overs and it is unlikely that he will bowl once again. Delhi Capitals crossed the 150-run mark in the 16th over. There was no stopping Pant, who was firing on all cylinders. However, Pant (33 off 23 balls) was caught in the deep by Deepak Hooda in the 17th over as Delhi Capitals lost their fourth wicket for 158. Pant became Naveen's second victim. All-rounder Axar Patel joined Stubbs in the middle. After 17 overs, Delhi Capitals was poised at 163/4. Axar and Stubbs played shots at will as Delhi Capitals amassed 12 runs off the 18th over and crossed the 170-run mark. Stubbs was showing his mettle and he took on Naveen ul Haq with gusto in the penultimate over. A two, followed with a four and a maximum, this is how Stubbs treated Naveen in the first three balls. Next three deliveries, he scored two, a six and a single as 21 runs were scored off it. Axar Patel (14 not out) too played his part to perfection as Delhi Capitals ended the innings on 208/4.
Over 11-14 (132/3)
It was Naveen-ul-Haq who provided the visitors the much needed breakthrough as he dismissed an aggressive Abhishek Porel (58 off 33 balls). Porel was caught in the deep by West Indian Nicholas Pooran on the deep mid-wicket fence on the first ball of the 12th over. Porel in his entertaining knock hammered five boundaries and four sixes. Delhi Capitals slipped to 111/3. Tristan Stubbs, who has a good reputation of a finisher, joined Pant in the middle as Lucknow Super Giants made a comeback of sorts. Pant soon started to play his shots and looked comfortable in the middle. The left-handed batter played round the park and was brutal on Krunal Pandya, for two successive fours, in the 14th over. Delhi Capitals was poised at 132 for 3 after 14 overs and the two batters at the crease will be aiming to take the side beyond the 200-run mark.
Overs 7-10 (106/2)
K L Rahul introduced Ravi Bishnoi into the attack and the spinner conceded just six runs off the seventh over. In the next over bowled by left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, Abhishek Porel completed his half century with a cheeky single. Krunal Pandya conceded nine runs off the eight over. However, it was Ravi Bishnoi, who broke the partnership between Porel and Shai Hope (38 off 27 balls) by dismissing the latter in the ninth over. Hope, who struck three boundaries and two sixes, was caught by rival skipper K L Rahul and walked back to the changing room. Hope and Porel added 92 runs for the second wicket and steadied Delhi Capitals ship. It was spin from both the ends even as skipper Rishabh Pant joined Porel in the middle, who was going guns blazing. At the half-way mark, Delhi Capitals was 106/2 with Porel unbeaten on 54 and Rishabh Pant not out on 7.
Overs 1-6 (73/1)
Delhi Capitals had a horrendous start to their innings as they lost in-form opener Jake Fraser-McGurk (0) in the first over as pacer Arshad Khan provided his side with the first breakthrough. Fraser-McGurk was caught by Naveen-ul-Haq near long on. Shai Hope joined Abhishek Porel in the middle. Abhishek Porel freed his arms in the second over as he hammered a six in the second off bowled by pacer Mohsin Khan. The hosts amassed eight runs in the second over Abhishek Porel was brutal on Arshad Khan in the third over smashing him for two boundaries and a six in the first three deliveries. The left handed batter Porel was in his elements while Shai Hope was playing second fiddle. Porel finished the third over with a boundary as Delhi Capitals amassed 21 runs off it and raced to 35/1. KL Rahul introduced Yudhvir Singh Charak into the attack and Shai Hope hammered two successive boundaries. There was no stopping Hope as he struck a six off the penultimate ball towards the long on area and finished the over with two runs. Delhi Capitals got 16 runs off the fourth over and completed the team 50. It was raining boundaries at the 'Kotla' as Hope struck a boundary, this time off Mohsin Khan in the fifth over. But Mohsin made a good comeback. After five overs, Delhi was poised at 56/1. Abhishek Porel then took on Naveen-ul-Haq in the sixth over, as he hit two maximums and a boundary and the hosts were 73/1 after the Powerplay. The two batters had laid the foundation for a big total.
- Toss
Lucknow Super Giants skipper K L Rahul won the toss and elected to field
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(wicket-keeper/captain), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Gulbadin Naib, Rasikh Dar Salam, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Subs: Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Praveen Dubey, Swastik Chikara, Lalit Yadav
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): KL Rahul (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshad Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan
Impact Subs: Manimaran Siddharth, Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Prerak Mankad, Krishnappa Gowtham
