Sharjah: Delhi Capitals (DC) moved to the top of the league standings after scripting a comprehensive 46-run win in their IPL encounter against Rajasthan Royals (RR) here, Friday. DC have now 10 points from six matches, two ahead of second-placed Mumbai Indians, while RR are stranded at seventh position with four points.
Put into bat, DC posted 184/8 in their 20 overs, thanks to Shimron Hetmyer (45, 24b, 1×4, 5×6) and Marcus Stoinis (39, 30b, 4×6). In reply, RR were bowled out for a paltry 138 with two balls to spare. Kagiso Rabada (3/35) was the pick of the bowlers and he was ably supported by Stoinis (2/17), R Ashwin (2/22), Axar Patel (1/8), Anrich Nortje (1/25) and Harshal Patel (1/29).
Royals failed to set momentum from the very beginning of their chase, losing wickets at regular intervals. Rahul Tewatia (38, 29b, 3×4, 2×6) was the top scorer for them, with only three other players – Yashasvi Jaiswal (34, 36b, 1×4, 2×6), skipper Steve Smith (24) and Jos Buttler (13) – reaching double figures. The highest partnership – 41 runs – was forged between Jaiswal and Smith for the second wicket.
Earlier, an aggressive bowling display coupled with some good fielding saw Royals restrict DC to what looked like a below-par 184/8. This was the lowest first innings total at the ground this season.
Desperate to snap their three-match losing streak, RR opted to field and the bowling unit delivered with Jofra Archer (3/24) taking three wickets and spinner Rahul Tewatia (1/20) and Kartik Tyagi (1/35) capturing one each.
The two run outs of the dangerous Shreyas Iyer (22) and Rishabh Pant (5) also proved crucial. Hetmyer played a wonderful innings to be the top scorer. Stoinis too chipped in.
Archer was the pick of the bowlers as he dismissed opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) in the second over for his first wicket in the Powerplay this year. DC slipped to 42/2 in 4.2 overs after losing Prithvi Shaw.
Jaiswal then run out Shreyas Iyer with a brilliant direct throw with Delhi slumping to 51/3 at the end of powerplay. However, some good innings in the second half of the innings helped DC go past 180-run mark.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 184/8 (Shimron Hetmyer 45, Marcus Stoinis 39; Jofra Archer 3/24) beat Rajasthan Royals 138 (Rahul Tewatia 38, Yashasvi Jaiswal 34; Kagiso Rabada 3/35, Marcus Stoinis 2/17, R Ashwin 2/22) by 46 runs.
