The Delhi Capitals have put up a strong score of 203 for 8, with contributions from Axar (39), Ashutosh (37), and Prasidh taking four wickets for the Gujarat Titans.
Following a challenging period, the Ahmedabad pitch provided some relief for batters on a scorching Saturday afternoon. Players such as Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and members of Delhi Capitals’ (DC) middle-order were able to make some headway, but none managed to surpass 39 runs. Gujarat Titans (GT) opted to use only five bowlers for 19 overs during the innings. Prasidh Krishna, who earned the purple cap, halted the visitors’ momentum with an impressive four-wicket performance.
With Jake Fraser-McGurk excluded, DC switched up their opening duo to Abhisek Porel and Nair. The first over saw Porel confidently hit two boundaries – a drive over mid-off and a flick behind square – confirming the reliability of the pitch.
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After being struck by Arshad Khan’s full toss, Rahul changed his approach and continued to contribute to DC’s success. He used a cut shot against Siraj and successfully drove the ball down the ground. However, his promising start was cut short when Prasidh delivered an outswinging yorker that hit him on the pads and resulted in an lbw dismissal. This occurred after Rahul had scored 28 runs off just 14 balls.
Nair was also able to hit boundaries on both sides of the pitch, but unfortunately, his dismissal came in a rather easy fashion as he attempted a ramp shot on a shorter delivery and ended up sending it straight into the hands of deep third.
Stubbs’ pristine cover drive off Prasidh triggered DC’s hundred in the ninth over. However, their partnership with Axar Patel for 53 runs in 36 balls was less aggressive afterwards. They opted to play it safe, relying on singles and doubles against Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma.
In his first two overs, Rashid delivered faster balls aimed at the stumps. However, in his third over, he adjusted his pace after Stubbs hit him for six down the field. Unfortunately, Stubbs then mistimed a shot and Rashid attempted to catch it near the mid-on area but was unable to hold on. This resulted in Axar hitting a powerful slog-swept six on the very next ball.
After only two overs, Ishant was already exhausted from the intense heat and had to take a break from the pitch. In his place, Siraj stepped back onto the field and successfully got Stubbs out with a reverse sweep on a yorker that ended up popping up towards short third.
GT’s death bowlers utilized a combination of yorker deliveries and short balls in their attempt to secure a victory. Their strategy almost proved successful on the very first ball, but Rashid’s mistake of dropping Axar at the beginning of the 17th over caused a setback.
The DC captain failed to score a boundary in his last nine balls and was ultimately caught behind. His attempt to smack a length ball over cover resulted in an edge, giving Prasidh a chance for a hat-trick on the very next ball. However, Jos Buttler’s fantastic diving catch dismissed Vipraj Nigam and ended Prasidh’s potential hat-trick.
In the final overs, Ashutosh Sharma proved to be the key boundary hitter. He successfully struck a six and a four against Arshad at the beginning of his innings, and later on, managed to hit two more sixes off Prasidh. In the last over of the game, R Sai Kishore only conceded nine runs, helping GT reach their 200-run target.
