Marsh keeps Delhi in the IPL hunt

AUSSIE all-rounder Mitchell Marsh smashed 89 after striking twice with the ball as Delhi Capitals stayed in the IPL playoff hunt with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.

Chasing a tricky 161 for victory, a 144-run second-wicket partnership between David Warner (52 not out) and Marsh helped Delhi achieve its target with 11 balls to spare in Mumbai.

Earlier, Marsh took the key wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal for 19 and top-scorer Ravichandran Ashwin for 50 with his medium-pace to help restrict Rajasthan to 6-160.

The Rishabh Pant-led Delhi, still searching for its maiden Indian Premier League title, is fifth on the table, two points behind Royal Challengers Bangalore with two matches remaining.

“It was close to a perfect game as I believe there is always space for improvement,” Pant said.

Delhi lost opener Srikar Bharat for a duck before Warner and Marsh got togeth er to rebuild the innings and then take the attack to the opposition.

“In terms of the way he (Warner) goes about things, he is someone I have looked up to for a long time now and I feel very lucky over the last 18 months I have been able to bat with him a lot and form a great partnership and friendship,” Marsh (pictured) said.

Both batsmen took time to get going and had a few lucky escapes, including when Warner was dropped on 19 by Jos Buttler, and he survived another reprieve when the ball hit the stumps but the bails did not come off.

The two chances were in Yuzvendra Chahal’s first over.