Delhi Capitals keep playoff hopes alive with 20-run win over Rajasthan Royals – Firstpost

Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday remained alive in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) with a 20-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This was a must-win clash for DC and the victory helped the Capitals to go fifth with 12 points from as many matches. This means that now there are four teams —CSK, SRH, DC and LSG with 12 points in the IPL standings.

For Rajasthan Royals, it’s a second defeat in as many matches and it also means that the wait for an elusive win that would take them to the playoffs goes on.

RR had earlier won the toss and opted to field first. Fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium were treated to another Jake Fraser-McGurk special as he scored his third half-century of the season. The Australian, who hit seven fours and three sixes, got to his fifty off 19 deliveries, but got out the very next ball, chipping towards the fielder at extra cover off Ravichandran Ashwin’s delivery.

However, there was Abhishek Porel at the other end and even the 21-year-old joined the party, registering his maiden IPL fifty. Porel got to his fifty off 28 deliveries, hitting five fours and three sixes. Once Porel was dismissed, DC found themselves at 144/4 in the 13th over, but just like he’s done before, South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs stepped up with a 20-ball 41 to set DC to a 200-plus total. The Capitals, on the back of Stubbs’ fightback, posted 221/8. Ashwin was the pick of RR’s bowlers with figures of 3/24.

RR got off to a forgettable start in their reply, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) in the first over. However, skipper Sanju Samson (86) and Impact Player Jos Buttler (19) revived Rajasthan’s hopes with a 63-run stand. While Buttler perished in the powerplay, getting cleaned up by Axar Patel, Samson did not give up and went onto score his fifth half-century this season, reaching the milestone in 28 deliveries.

Had the Kerala batter stayed until the end, RR would have had a better chance of winning this. However, the wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed in the 16th over courtesy of a controversial catch by Shai Hope at the boundary ropes off Mukesh Kumar’s ball.

Hope was fielding at the long-on boundary when he took the catch, but Samson was not happy because he felt as if Hope had touched the boundary cushion. The umpires then had a check, only for it to be deemed out. Samson had a heated discussion with the on-field umpires before walking back to the pavilion.

RR’s hopes were in tatters once Samson was dismissed, leaving the visitors at 162/4 in the 16th over. Despite a cameo from Shubham Dubey (25 off 12) and a 10-ball 13 from Rovman Powell, the inaugural champions just could not cross the finish line as they were restricted to 201/8 from 20 overs.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 221/8 from 20 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 50, Abhishek Porel 65, Tristan Stubbs 41; R Ashwin 3/24) beat Rajasthan Royals 201/8 from 20 overs (Sanju Samson 86; Kuldeep Yadav 2/25).