New Delhi, April 28: A dominant Delhi Capitals produced a clinical performance in all three departments as they defeated bottom-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore at home by 16 runs in the IPL encounter on Sunday (April 28).
With this win at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi have now become the second team in the tournament, after CSK, to qualify into the playoffs. The Shreyas Iyer-led side has qualified to the top-four stage for the first time since IPL 2012.
Delhi Capitals registered their third win on the trot and ended the three-match winning streak of the Virat Kohli-led side and also dashed their hopes of making it to playoffs.
IPL 2019 Special Site | Points Table
Delhi were off to a brisk start after their young skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first on pitch that slowed down as the day progressed. Shikhar Dhawan (50) and captain Iyer (52) struck wonderful half-centuries.
Dilli, the wait is over ❤️#ThisIsNewDelhi#DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/UWQq0KXRQ8
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 28, 2019
While West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford played a brilliant came of 13-ball 28* along with Axar Patel (16* off 9) in the end to propel the hosts to above-par total of 187/5 in the stipulated 20 overs.
In response, RCB were off to an electrifying start as their openers Parthiv Patel (39 off 20) and Kohli (23 off 17) scored quickly in the powerplay. The openers attacked every Delhi bowler in the powerplay before Parthiv was removed by Purple Cap holder Kagiso Rabada in the sixth over.
Delighted for #DelhiCapitals. After years of frustration, a place in the play-offs. The planning has come to fruition this year.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 28, 2019
Kohli and veteran AB de Villiers (17) looked to forge a partnership and keep the visitors in the run chase. But Kohli didn't last long at the crease and joined his opening partner Parthiv in the dugout.
2012 - the only year when India's four major metros -
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 28, 2019
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai
qualified to the last four of an #IPL edition.
Can #IPL2019 repeat this?#DCvRCB#KKRvMI
The visitors then pinned their hopes with seasoned campaigner in De Villiers and the rest of the middle order but once the South African legend became the first IPL scalp of Rutherford, the flood gates were opened.
Teams to lose 100 matches in the Twenty20 format:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 28, 2019
112 - Middlesex
101 - Derbyshire
100 - ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE#IPL2019 #RCB #DCvRCB
Delhi bowlers kept picking up wickets at regular intervals and the batsmen couldn't get partnerships going and the asking rate kept mounting. Finally, they were restricted to 171/7 in the stipulated 20 overs.
The Shreyas Iyer-led outfit are looking high on confidence in this tournament. They boast a solid batting line up with a perfect blend of experience and youth.
Here's how the match between DC and RCB panned out:
Shikhar Dhawan, Man of the Match: Very happy with this award, to be honest, I didn't expect it. Much more happy that our team is number 1, we'll celebrate tonight. It was intentional to bat faster and am glad that I did. I am enjoying smacking the ball over the boundary. I want to be positive and keep scoring runs in the remaining games.
Shreyas Iyer, the winning captain: This is an amazing feeling. Before the start of the tournament we wanted to qualify, so we are really satisfied and happy now that we have qualified. It's really important to let the bowlers do their job and not interfere, same is the case with the batsmen. In every game individuals have chipped in with handy contributions and taken the team over the line. It's important to get 50-plus in the Powerplay on this ground. Dhawan has been amazing for us and Rutherford's cameo helped us to 180, we got 15 runs extra because of his innings. We are going to maintain the same intensity and mindset for the rest of the tournament. We were termed as the underdogs before the start of the tournament and before the start of every match we think the same.
Virat Kohli, the losing captain: It was a very important one (toss) especially with how the wicket played. We showed a lot of character even after losing the toss, but it got away a little bit in the end. We were thinking 160-165 but 185 on that sort of a pitch, with three spinners, was always going to be tough. Delhi played better than us in the crunch moments. We started off really well with the bat. PP was outstanding and then I got going, but me and AB getting out to balls that you don't get out to. That's how the game goes some times. We just decided to have a lot of fun and that's why we won four out of the last six games we have played. The important thing now, with two games left, is to go out there and have fun. Not take too much pressure. Obviously we want to perform as best as we can, but the fun factor should not go away. We put ourselves under too much pressure in the first six games and then it is always hard work in the latter half. We have to go out there and play positive cricket. Once the last two games are done, sit down and see where the tournament goes.
It's all over! Delhi Capitals have outclassed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 16 runs and with this win they have also qualified for the playoffs. They are the second team to make it to the playoffs.
Delhi have made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. This team has gone from strength to strength in this season. Kudos to the team for getting better with every passing game.
SIX! Stoinis pulls Rabada for a maximum. They still need 18 off 2 deliveries.
Wicket! Sundar (1) hits Rabada in over long-on and Shreyas Iyer takes a simple catch in the deep. RCB - 164/7 in 19.2 overs.
Just 4 runs came from the final over bowled by Ishant. RCB - 160/6 in 19 overs. 26 needed from last 6. Rabada bowls the final over.
Wicket! Gurkeerat (27) edges Ishant and Rishabh Pant took a brilliant right-handed catch behind the stumps. RCB - 160/6 in 18.4 overs. Brilliant over from Ishant so far.
1,1,1,1,2,0! Tight over, just 6 came from the over no. 18 bowled by Rabada. RCB - 158/5. Need 30 runs from 12 deliveries.
16 runs came from that over bowled by Ishant. RCB - 152/5 in 17 overs.
SIX, Four! Gurkeerat gets a maximum off Ishant and a boundary off Ishant.
0,6,1,1,1,1! Good comeback from Lamichhane after getting hit for a maximum. RCB - 136/5 after 16 overs. They need 52 more runs to win from 24 deliveries.
SIX!! Marcus Stoinis hammers Lamichhane into the stands for a maximum. Powerfully hit.
Wd, 2, 0, 1, 4, 2, 1! 11 runs came from that over bowled by Mishra. RCB - 126/5 after 15 overs.
0,0,1,1,1,1! 4 singles came from that over bowled by Axar. RCB - 115/5 after 14 overs. They need 73 from 36 balls. This match is slipping through their grip.
Wicket! Shivam Dube (24) mistimes Amit Mishra and Shikhar Dhawan takes a good running catch to end his innings. Two wickets fall in this over. RCB - 111/5 in 13 overs. DC have come back strongly in this game and RCB are in deep trouble.
Wicket! Soft dismissal! Heinrich Klaasen (3) gets a nick from his bat off Amit Mishra and hits his helmet to bounce in front. Rishabh Pant takes a brilliant diving catch forward. RCB - 108/4 in 12.2 overs.
Pant clearly needs to work on his wicket-keeping fundamentals if he wants to be an all-format international keeper, but he really does take his fair share of absolute worldies. That catch off Klaasen a case in point. #DCvRCB #IPL2019
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) April 28, 2019
Big Wicket! ABD (17) hits Rutherford for a maximum but an alert Axar Patel takes well-judged catch near the boundary ropes. RCB - 103/3 after 11.3 overs.
Axar and Perfect Catches: A combo like no other ❤️#DCvRCB #ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals #IPL #IPL2019 pic.twitter.com/b7971DppL2
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 28, 2019
SIX!!! Shivam Dube ends Lamichhane's over with a maximum. RCB - 101/2 after 11 overs.
SIX!! ABD hits Amit Mishra over square-leg boundary for a maximum. RCB - 82/2 after 9 overs.
Dropped! Shivam Dube top-edges Mishra and Rahul Tewatia puts it down. Amit Mishra is the unlucky bowler.
1, W,1,0,1,1! 4 runs and the big wicket of Kohli came from that over bowled by Axar. RCB - 71/2 after 8 overs.
Big Wicket! Virat Kohli (23) pulls Axar Patel but couldn't time it well as the ball straight into the hands of Rutherford. Kohli's looks stunned as he's hit the ball directly in the hands of the fielder. RCB - 68/2 in 7.2 overs.
0,1,1,0,0,1! Just three runs came from the first over bowled by Amit Mishra. RCB - 67/1 in 7 overs.
Wicket! Parthiv Patel (39) plays a cut shot off Rabada and Axar Patel takes a fine catch at backward point. RCB lose their first wicket in the run chase. RCB - 63/1 after 5.5 overs.
0,0,6,0,4,1! 11 runs conceded by Ishant Sharma from his second over. RCB - 56/0 after 6 overs, DC are feeling the heat early on.
SIX!! Virat Kohli hammers Ishant Sharma over long-on for a maximum. This is his response to the bowler after almost getting dismissed.
Not Out! Virat Kohli survives the caught behind dismissal as Rishabh Pant attempted a good catch but the replays confirmed it was a bump catch.
4,0,1L,4,0,1! 10 runs came from Kagiso Rabada's opening over. DC - 45/0 after 4 overs.
Four! Third boundary of the over and all came from Parthiv's bat. He's looking in phenomenal touch in the powerplay. RCB - 35/0 after 3 overs.