Pant, Iyer hit quickfire fifties, help Delhi win rain-hit match
Rajasthan batsmen fail to chase DLS revised target of 151 off 12 overs, lose by four runs
NEW DELHI: Between two matchcurtailing squalls unfolded a T20 blockbuster all Indian that still needed masterful bowling from Trent Boult as Delhi Daredevils clinched a jittery four-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
Daredevils pulled off the win under rain rule despite a blistering counterattack from Royals opener Jos Buttler (67 off 26 balls). Daredevils scored 196/6 in 17.1 overs, and RR, needing 151 off 12 overs, finished on 146/5 at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground.
With Delhi Daredevils needing a win to stay alive, their explosive core of Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant came, saw and conquered as Royals’ bowlers messed up their lengths.
Consecutive partnerships of 73 and 92 and a Vijay Shankar cameo meant Delhi were well placed. Shaw and Iyer were more precision and timing, but it was Pant’s brutal 69 off 29 that left Rajasthan gobsmacked. To compile a revised target of 151 was too much to ask despite the promising start from Royals openers D’Arcy Short and Buttler.
Between Dhawal Kulkarni and Jaydev Unadkat Royals leaked 83 runs in seven overs. Between back of the length and full, they didn’t quite find the right spot. Spin too wasn’t spared as K Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal conceded 53 in four overs.
Iyer and Shaw hurt Royals but Pant messed with their pride by unleashing a stunning innings. The result was nothing short of mayhem as he completed his fifty off 23 balls before becoming the top scorer of the tournament to place Delhi in a winning position.
Buttler threatened to spoil Delhi’s homecoming. Three sixes and a four in a 23-run third over by Avesh Khan helped Buttler stamp his authority in an 18-ball 50. That took Royals to 82 in 6.4 overs, but the quick dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ben Stokes meant D’Arcy Short had to take over reins of the chase. He looked like doing a stellar job till Avesh caught him at short third man off an otherwise expensive over from Glenn Maxwell.
Gowtham brought the equation down to 15 runs off six balls but Boult brought all his experience into play after a nervous wide to take Delhi across the line.