In a low-scoring last-ball thriller on Tuesday, Delhi Capitals defeated Gujarat Titans by five runs to keep their IPL playoff hopes alive.
As Delhi Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive with a five-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL on Tuesday, Aman Khan’s first T20 fifty was beautifully complemented by the pacers.
Mohammed Shami bowled flawless lengths and was deadly with the new ball as he knocked the wind out of the Capitals’ top order (4/11 in four overs).
After being asked to bowl, Gujarat Titans limited DC to 130 for eight. Aman (51 off 44) pursued a solitary fight, putting some much-need runs on the board. With Axar Patel (27) and Ripal Patel (23), he added 50 off 54 balls and 53 off 27.
Hardik Pandya’s steady fifty (59 off 53 balls) and Rahul Tewatia’s hat trick of sixes (20) in response were insufficient for Delhi to stop the defending champions at 125 for 6.
It was Delhi’s third win of the season, keeping them at the bottom of the standings while Gujarat remained at the top.
As Gujarat lost three wickets during the powerplay, Delhi’s quicks were able to make an early breakthrough while defending a modest target.
If “Impact Player” Khaleel Ahmed (2/24) bowled a beautiful first over that was a wicket-keeper, pacer Anrich Nortje (1/39) got rid of Shubman Gill, who was dangerous, (6).
Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma (2/23) too joined the party as he outmaneuvered Vijay Shankar (6) with an impeccably executed knuckleball.
With the introduction of slow bowlers, wickets continued to fall, and in the seventh over, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (1/15) befuddled David Miller (0).
Pandya and Abhinav Manohar (26) steadied the Gujarat transport with 62-run representing the fifth wicket.
The innings were led by Pandya, and Tewatia hit three sixes off the penultimate over. However, with 12 required off the last finish, Ishant offered only six runs while taking the imperative wicket of Tewatia.
Shami was at the center of Delhi’s dramatic collapse earlier when the team lost five wickets for 23 runs in just five overs.
When he hit Phil Salt for a golden duck off the first ball of the game, the seasoned Indian pacer set the tone for the match.
Delhi lost the Australian wicket in the second over due to a terrible collision between captain David Warner and young Priyam Garg (10).
As Shami struck once more, the next person to leave was Rilee Rossouw, age 8. The veteran Indian caused Rossouw to move slightly away.
An external edge drove the ball straight under the control of wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves as Delhi tumbled to 16 for three.
Captain Hardik Pandya made the decision to continue bowling the pacer after Shami bowled a tight opening spell, and the move paid off. Shami picked up two more wickets in his final over, continuing his streak of taking wickets.
The Indian bowled a wobble crease conveyance, enticing Manish Pandey (1) to drive it however the late development implied the ball found the edge of the bat and Saha finishing a staggering one gave find jumping to one side.
Garg was Shami’s final victim of the night, and Saha once more made a catch behind the stumps.
The Capitals, are at the bottom of the points table and need to win this game to stay alive in the race for the playoffs.
Were teetering at 28 for five at the end of the Powerplay with half of the team back in the dugout.
Axar Patel (27), advanced up the request.
Aman stemmed the decay for certain truly necessary runs however pacer Mohit Sharma (2/33) broke the 50-run organization as he trapped the wicket of the Delhi bad habit skipper.
In the 16th over, as DC got closer to the 100-run mark, Aman punished Mohit Sharma by hitting a boundary past short third and a flat six over a fine leg. In 41 balls, the uncapped Aman scored a much-needed fifty. Three hits to the fence and as many over it punctuated his innings.