Mitchell Starc gets Player of the Match as DC wins tighter in this high-stakes match.
New Delhi: At the Arun Jaitley Stadium on 16 April fans witnessed a thrilling match between DC and RR which ended with a nail-biting Super Over. After both sides ended their 20 overs on a score of 188 runs, DC managed to chase 11 runs in the Super Over with two wickets in hand, which turned out to be a victory filled with drama and two important points for them.
Balanced DC Batting
Batting first, DC managed to score 188 runs for the loss of five wickets on the basis of contributions from quite a few players. Abishek Porel remained the star performer among the bunch with a fine 49 runs in 37 balls to put a stable platform upon. KL Rahul, back in form, contributed with a valuable 38 off 32 balls before being dismissed by Jofra Archer, who was RR’s best bowler with figures of 2/32.
The big momentum shift came from the late-game fireworks of Tristan Stubbs (34 off 18) and Axar Patel (34 off just 14) with their furious scoring in the death overs, which gave a giant push to DC. Ashutosh Sharma, with nice timing, earned his 15 not out, thus setting a competitive target of 188.
Rajasthan’s Fightback Led by Jaiswal and Rana
Things started off well, with 51 runs off 37 balls played with flair by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who anchored the top order. Captain Sanju Samson, who performed a valiant comeback of 31 runs from 19 balls, had to opt for retirement-hurt, round about disrupting that steam train of Rajasthan Royals.
Then came Nitish Rana and hailed into the tempest forge into as he struck a brilliant 51 runs within just 28 deliveries, as our host RR could touch the total of 188 runs at the loss of 4 wickets and tying the tie because of that little blitzkrieg from Dhruv Jurel (26 off 17). Tight spells were bowled by Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, while Mitchell Starc picked up the important wicket of Rana and controlled things towards the end.
Super Over Decider
RR sent out Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag in the Super Over. But with two runouts and a disciplined over by Starc, DC had limited RR to just 11 runs.
DC’s reply was explosive. KL Rahul (7* off 3) and Tristan Stubbs (6* off 1) won the game in just 4 deliveries against Sandeep Sharma, sending the crowd into a frenzy. They had DC’s style of finish written all over them with nerves of steel.
Starc Shines Under Pressure
Mitchell Starc truly deserves to be named the Player of the Match for putting in an unbelievable all-around show. He had practically no show in his early phase in the RR innings until the Super Over came along, where he tightened the screws, giving good reason why he can still be one of the most feared pacemen in the cricketing world. Starc’s temperament in managing pressure-intensive scenarios helped lay the foundation for the DC win.
What This Means for the Teams
The victory has brought a shot in the arm for DC, and at this stage, the table stands in good stead for DC as it nears halfway into the tournament. RR, however, will be very encouraged by their fighting spirit and individual performances as they move forward, particularly in reassessing their strategy for the Super Over going forward.
A nail-biter of a T20 showcasing skill and drama right down to the last ball—this is what fans have come to expect from the IPL.
