Humdinger sees DC overcome RR in Super Over

Delhi Capitals beat Rajasthan Royals in a Super Over on a thrilling night at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Royals were cruising home at one point following half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana but a brilliant final over from Mitchell Starc dragged the contest into a Super Over, which DC eventually clinched. The hosts have now won five out of six games to jump to the top of the standings, currently being the only team on 10 points.

Where was the game won?

In the Super Over. Despite the Capitals conceding 10 runs in the first three balls in the Super Over, Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal were run-out off successive deliveries as the Royals scored only 11/2. In reply, KL Rahul hit a four while Tristan Stubbs pulled a six off a short delivery from Sandeep Sharma to seal the win. Earlier, a lesson in death bowling in the 20th over by Mitchell Starc saw the talismanic Australian defend nine runs in the last over of the chase to force a tie.

DELHI CAPITALS

PowerPlay: RR bounce back after initial onslaught

Phase score - 46/2 [RR: 7.67, 4s/6s: 7/1]

After a first-ball duck in his last outing , it was Jake Fraser-McGurk who got the ball rolling for the Capitals with two boundaries in the first over. He punished Jofra Archer for overpitching outside off. Fraser-McGurk's partner, Abhishek Porel dispatched Tushar Deshpande with disdain in the following over worth 23 runs. Porel attacked everything Deshpande threw at him including full-tosses, length balls and a short delivery lacking any pace as the over went for four boundaries and a six. But McGurks' torrid season continued as he played yet another ugly hack and holed out at cover. Karun Nair, following his 89, was anticlimactically run-out for a duck after a mix-up with Porel. He had a chance to put a dive in but was inches short of making his ground. Maheesh Theekshana and Sandeep Sharma bowled a couple of quiet overs to close out the PowerPlay.

Middle overs: Sri Lankan spinners squeeze the runs dry

Phase score - 65/2 [RR: 7.22, 4s/6s: 2/3]

After two quick wickets in the PowerPlay, the Capitals were more reserved in their approach with KL Rahul and Porel looking to forge a partnership of note. Rahul deposited Deshpande to the stands but the wily legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga bowled it slower through the air as the ball began to hold a touch on the surface. The runs continued to dry up as the Sri Lankan spinners bowled in tandem with Hasaranga turning to his googlies. Porel finally got hold off a googly and cut it for four while Rahul punished a fuller delivery from Theekshana to the stands as the left-right duo brought up the 50-partnership.

Following a quiet over from Riyan Parag, Archer turned to the slower deliveries and dismissed KL Rahul for the first time in IPL history. Porel was given a reprieve after the fielders didn't pick up an edge off a bouncer to the 'keeper. But it did no harm to the tourists as he fell off the next ball against Hasaranga.

Death overs: Capitals finish strongly through Axar and Stubbs

Phase score - 77/1 [RR: 15.6, 4s/6s: 8/2]

Led by Axar Patel (34 off 14), the Capitals' immediately shifted gears from the 16th over. The southpaw took on Hasaranga for two boundaries on both sides of the wicket before nailing a slog-sweep for six. The eventful over came to a close with Parag dropping a tough chance off the dangerous Tristan Stubbs. The Capitals' skipper continued his blistering knock against Theekshana. He punished two full-tosses for a four and a six before he pulled a short delivery to the fence. After his departure, the pair of Ashutosh Sharma and Stubbs scored three delectable boundaries off Archer behind the wicket in a 16-run over. Sandeep then bowled four wides and a no-ball in an 11-ball over as Stubbs hit a four and a six to drag his side to 188/5. Royals were left to rue their sloppiness in the field as Theekshana dropped an absolute sitter off the last ball.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

PowerPlay: Samson, Jaiswal make merry before the former walks off injured

Phase score - 63/0 [RR: 10.5, 4s/6s: 4/5]

In pursuit of 189, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone with a couple of sixes off Mukesh Kumar. With dew setting in, the latter took on Mitchell Starc's short deliveries dispatching him for two fours and a six in a 19-run over. Samson fiercely pulled Mukesh for another maximum and then brought up the 50-partnership with a lofted shot past mid-off to the fence. Ashutosh Sharma dropped a difficult chance off Samson, after the batter hit one 53 metres into the air off Mohit Sharma. The Royals' skipper continued to power through the gears, slapping drag-downs off Vipraj Nigam to the stands. Things looked to be smooth sailing for RR until Samson hurt his ribs after attempting a cut. Eventually, he had to walk off the field.

Middle overs: Game remains evenly poised heading into the final five

Phase score - 69/2 [RR: , 4s/6s: 6/3]

Axar brought himself on immediately after the PowerPlay and got the pitch to play its tricks as a few deliveries held up against Riyan Parag. With Parag playing and missing against Kuldeep Yadav as well, he was eventually castled by Axar - his first wicket of the season. Jaiswal and new batter, Nitish Rana, then upped the ante against Stubbs in a 12-run over. A drag down by Kuldeep outside leg which should have been put away by Jaiswal was superbly saved by Mohit Sharma on the boundary line, saving a certain maximum. The night got worse for Mukesh as he was greeted with a boundary by Rana before he turned to the slower deliveries. Soon after Jaiswal reached his 50, he holed out against Kuldeep Yadav at long-on. With 73 required off the last six overs, the Capitals created the opportunity they wanted. Rana hit one of Axar down the ground but Stubbs dropped him on the fence after misjudging it. The left-hander followed it up with a boundary and look set for the slog overs.

Death overs: Starc takes the game to the first Super Over since 2022

Phase score - 56/2 [RR: 11.2, 4s/6s: 3/3]

Rana continued to attack the spinners, firstly rocking back and pulling Kuldeep to the stands, and followed it up with a reverse-sweep to third-man. Dhruv Jurel survived a LBW shout through the recourse of DRS, and made the most of it by punishing a full-toss off Mohit Sharma to the stands. Rana then brought up a timely 50 with a scoop behind the stumps. With 31 required off 18, Starc began with a couple of slower balls, before turning to his yorker and trapping Rana LBW. Starc followed it up with another yorker and Shimron Hetmyer was lucky to get a slight edge which raced for four. The Capitals' excellence in the field continued after Sameer Rizvi saved a six hit by Jurel. The batter then clubbed one down the ground over the outstretched hands of Stubbs at long-off to bring the equation down. With nine required off the last over, Starc stuck to his lethal yorkers to concede only eight runs and take the game to the first Super Over since IPL 2022.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 188/5 in 20 overs (Abishek Porel 49, KL Rahul 38; Jofra Archer 2-32, Wanindu Hasarana 1-38) tied with Rajasthan Royals 188/4 in 20 overs (Nitish Rana 51; Yashasvi Jaiswal 51; Axar Patel 1-23, Kuldeep Yadav 1-33) - Delhi Capitals won in the Super Over

What next?

Delhi Capitals will travel to Ahmedabad to face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in the afternoon game on April 19 (Saturday) while the Rajasthan Royals will host Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur later on in the evening on the same day.