Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Delhi Capitals managed to defend the target of 131 against Gujarat Titans with economical spells from their bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
DC’s struggle with the bat continued but just like last time against Sunrisers Hyderabad their bowlers stepped up to the occasion and managed to defend the total. “Our bowlers were amazing. Our batters struggled but credit to the way Shami bowled. Credit to the way Aman and Ripal played from then on to get up that score. We just find ways to lose wickets in clumps, I always hate it when there’s a runout. I don’t know what’s happening with our batting. We tried playing positively today with the bat, but didn’t come off,” DC skipper David Warner said after the match.
“We then wanted to come out and swing the ball, get early wickets. Khaleel did well after coming back from injury, and Ishant is forever getting younger. I was nervous when Tewatia was going off, he has a reputation for that kind of stuff. Anrich is our most consistent death bowler, but couldn’t get it right today. But Ishant was so clear with what he wanted to execute for us,” Warner added.
While defending 131, Gujarat Titans were dealt with an early blow as Wriddhiman Saha was caught behind off Khaleel who bowled a fantastic wicket maiden. Khaleel beat Saha’s outside edge multiple times before finally getting him to edge one to the keeper via terrific swing bowling.
Hardik Pandya went on the counter-attack in the third over from Khaleel, thumping three fours but GT found themselves two down in the next over as Anrich Nortje had Gill (6 off 7) caught at covers off an uppish drive. Ishant Sharma then produced a beautiful Knuckleball to the castle in-form Vijay Shankar and reduce GT to 26/3.
GT stuttered to 31/3 at the end of the Powerplay. Kuldeep Yadav came into the attack and didn’t take time to strike as he cleaned up David Miller (0 off 3) who shuffled across for a sweep but missed it completely.
Pandya and Abhinav Manohar started the rebuilding process but DC kept things largely tight as the required run rate crept over 10 per over with five overs to go. GT skipper brought up his half-century off 44 balls. Kuldeep bowled another excellent over, giving just five to complete an excellent spell of 4-0-15-1.
With 37 needed off 18, Khaleel returned and struck the first ball to remove Manohar (26 off 33), who was caught at long-on. Khaleel completed an excellent over to give away just four as the equation read 33 needed off 12 balls.
Nortje started off the penultimate over well, nailing his yorkers and giving away just three off the first three balls. But he missed his marker as Rahul Tewatia came into his own to swing the next three balls across the line for three sixes in a row to bring the equation down to 12 needed off the last over. Warner handed the ball to Ishant for the final over and the experienced veteran answered his captain’s call with a fantastic over.
Ishant started off brilliantly and gave away just three off the first three balls and then got Tewatia (20 off 7), caught at extra cover as the equation came to 9 needed off 2 balls.
Rashid Khan smashed the next one to cover the point where Rossouw stopped it. With 7 needed off the last ball, Ishant bowled a full toss which Rashid sliced over backward point for just two as the DC players erupted in wild celebrations.
