Stubbs, Rahul shine as DC return to winning ways
New Delhi, April 19 -- As Delhi Capitals were moments away from getting back to winning ways after two losses on the trot, David Miller was probably having flashbacks of the game against Gujarat Titans. He had pretty much done it all before he erred and was not able to make 2 off 2. This time, against high-flying Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy stadium, Miller redeemed himself as DC sealed a six-wicket win.
With 15 needed in the last over, Miller joined his South African team-mate Tristan Stubbs (60*) to take his team across the line. Bowling the last over, Romario Shepherd erred with full tosses that Miller had no trouble seeing off across the boundary.
Earlier, with 176 to chase, DC were off to a bad start, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was on fire as he took a three-fer in the powerplay, reducing DC to 18/3. But KL Rahul and the calm and composed Tristan Stubbs got together and got the innings back on track.
But KL Rahul and the calm and composed Tristan Stubbs got together and got the innings back on track. Rahul batted beautifully and looked set to take his side home but holed out to a good catch by Kohli.
Axar Patel (26) played a handy cameo but battled cramps and eventually had to retire hurt. In came Miller and at that phase RCB kept it tight and conceded 14 off the three overs. But in the last over, two back to back sixes and a boundary sealed the job for DC.
"It feels really good. Obviously, to get one from the other night, obviously, I was just a bit disappointed a couple of games ago, but to get myself back in that position, was good to get over the line," Miller told broadcasters after the match.
"It's always going to be there at the back of the mind until you actually win another game. That's our take. And it has been a couple of games, you know, we obviously have a week off, so I've worked on a few things, just trying to stay in the moment as well and do what I can."
RCB signed off at 175/8 after an innings that ebbed and flowed. The home side were well set early on, riding on Phil Salt's fluent 63 off 38 deliveries that anchored the first half and. Kohli, on the other end, started well but fell to Lungi Ngidi.
The South African pacer bowled a scrambled seam delivery on a length outside off. Kohli shimmied down the track to try and go over the infield but with the placement going wrong, he found himself caught at deep cover.
Salt had provided impetus after a watchful start, stitching together a 52-run opening stand with Virat Kohli and then adding 47 with Devdutt Padikkal. But just as the platform seemed laid, Delhi Capitals applied the brakes expertly through the middle and at the death. Salt's acceleration in the PowerPlay, particularly against Auqib Nabi, lifted RCB to 59/1 despite Kohli's early departure.
Following that, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Lungi Ngidi led the squeeze with two wickets apiece, varying pace and lengths cleverly on a slightly two-paced Chinnaswamy surface. Once Padikkal and Salt fell in quick succession, Delhi seized control. The slowdown was evident as RCB, who had reached 99/2 at the halfway mark, managed only 76 runs in the final 10 overs.
Rajat Patidar and Tim David threatened briefly but couldn't convert their starts, as disciplined bowling and sharp fielding ensured RCB never regained momentum.
The slide was most pronounced at the back end, where RCB lost four wickets for 29 runs in the last five overs. Delhi were especially clinical at the death, conceding just eight runs in the final two overs to rule out a possibility of any late surge.
Eventually, the target proved to be short as DC chased it down to climb to the fourth spot....
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