Aman Khan’s maiden T20 fifty was superbly complemented by the pacers as Delhi Capitals saved their playoff hopes alive with a tense five-run win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL right here on May 2.
Bowling impeccable lengths, Mohammed Shami (4/11 in 4 overs) was deadly with the brand new ball as he knocked the wind out of the Capitals’ high order, as Gujarat Titans restricted DC to 130 for eight after being requested to bowl.
Aman (51 off 44) waged a lone battle, placing some much-need runs on the board. He added 50 off 54 balls with Axar Patel (27) and 53 off 27 balls with Ripal Patel (23).
In reply, Hardik Pandya’s (59 off 53) sedate fifty and Rahul Tewatia’s (20) hattrick of sixes weren’t sufficient as Delhi bowlers held their nerves to cease the defending champions at 125 for six.
It was the third win of the season for Delhi, who proceed to stay on the backside of the desk, whereas Gujarat continued to stay on the highest spot.
Defending a modest goal, Delhi quicks had been capable of make an early breakthrough, as Gujarat misplaced three wickets contained in the powerplay.
If ‘Impact Player’ Khaleel Ahmed (2/24) bowled a good looking first over which was a wicket-maiden, tempo spearhead Anrich Nortje (1/39) removed the harmful Shubman Gill (6).
Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma (2/23) too joined the social gathering as he outfoxed Vijay Shankar (6) with a wonderfully executed knuckle ball.
Wickets continued to tumble with the introduction of the gradual bowlers, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (1/15) bamboozled David Miller (0) in the seventh over.
Pandya and Abhinav Manohar (26) steadied the Gujarat ship with 62-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Pandya anchored the innings with Tewatia hitting three back-to-back sixes off the penultimate over. But with 12 wanted off the ultimate over, Ishant gave away simply six runs whereas taking the important wicket of Tewatia. Earlier, Delhi as soon as once more suffered a dramatic collapse, dropping 5 wickets for 23 runs inside 5 overs and on the centre of all of it was Shami.
The veteran Indian pacer set the tone of the match as he struck off the primary ball of the sport to get Phil Salt for a golden duck.
A horrible combine up between younger Priyam Garg (10) and skipper David Warner (2) price Delhi the wicket of the Australian in the second over.
Rilee Rossouw (8) was subsequent to depart as Shami struck as soon as once more. The veteran Indian induced slight motion away from Rossouw. An outdoors edge led the ball to straight into the fingers of wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves as Delhi fell to 16 for 3.
With Shami bowling a decent opening spell, captain Hardik Pandya determined to proceed bowling the pacer and the transfer paid dividends. Shami continued his wicket-taking streak in his third over, snaring two in his closing over.
The Indian bowled a wobble seam supply, tempting Manish Pandey (1) to drive it however the late motion meant the ball discovered the sting of the bat and Saha finishing a shocking one handed catch diving to his proper.
Shami’s closing sufferer of the night time was Garg with Saha but once more finishing one other catch behind the stumps.
With half the facet again in the dugout, the Capitals, who’re on the backside of the factors desk and must win this sport to stay alive in the race for the playoffs, had been tottering at 28 for 5 on the finish of the Powerplay.
Axar Patel (27), who was promoted up the order, and Aman did stem the rot with some much-needed runs however pacer Mohit Sharma (2/33) broke the 50-run partnership as he snared the wicket of the Delhi vice-captain.
Aman punished Mohit Sharma in the sixteenth over, hitting a boundary previous brief third and a flat six over high-quality leg as DC inched nearer to the 100-run mark.
The uncapped Aman introduced up a much-needed half century in 41 balls.
His innings was studded with three hits to the fence and as many over it.