IPL 2024 | DC vs RR – Recap & Defining Moments of The Match

Delhi Capitals (221/8) stunned Rajasthan Royals (201/8) to earn their sixth win of the season and add another twist to the race to the playoffs in the 56th game of IPL 2024.

Sanju Samson (86/46) won the toss and ask Delhi to bat first, a no-brainer considering the season’s trend. Abishek Porel (65/36) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (50/20) started the innings with a bang, with the Aussie reaching his fifty of just 19 balls. Rajasthan also kept picking wickets at regular intervals and looked set to restrict Rishab Pant’s team to a decent score. But towards the end, Tristan Stubbs (41/20) gave Delhi a decent breathing space.

In the chase, Rajasthan got off to the worst possible start as Yashasvi Jaiswal (4/2) was out in the first over, giving them an early scare. Jos Buttler (19/17) and Sanju Samson countered back and gave Delhi a headache on the powerplay but runs dried down with the introduction of spin. The wickets of Buttler and Riyan Parag (27/22) further complicated Rajasthan’s chase.

With a required run-rate of 13 runs an over, Samson switched gears. With 63 runs required from the last five overs, Rajasthan took up the challeng, but Delhi’s fast bowlers lead by Kuldeep Yadav (2/25) ensured the team a 20-run victory.

Here are the five key moments that defined Delhi’s victory over Rajasthan.

Jack’s onslaught on Avesh Khan

Delhi started their innings on the front foot and were going well, but their innings accelerated after the over of Avesh Khan in the 4th over. Australian dynamo Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed 28 runs off the over, including 4 fours and 2 sixes, giving their score a big boost. After six overs, Delhi reached 78 runs with heavy lifting from Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Abishek Porel’s maturity in the middle phase

Despite a high start, Delhi lost wickets at regular intervals, which allowed Rajasthan to stay in the game. But Porel’s spirited stay at the other end kept Delhi’s boat afloat. With 65 runs off just 36 runs, the West Bengal batsman not only maintained the strike rate but also stabilised the innings and provided a launch pad for Stubbs and others. 

Tristan Stubbs’s brutal finish

When Pant and Patel were dismissed, Delhi Capitals appeared in trouble in the end overs, but Rajasthan’s spinners mounted pressure. He did not back down when Tristan Stubbs began his onslaught against Chahal in the 18th over. He collected 21 runs from that over. Stubbs rescued Delhi from a late crisis and helped them reach a mammoth 220 runs.

Axar-Kuldeep’s slow play after powerplay

When Buttler and Samson were going bonkers, Rajasthan appeared to be cruising and reached 57 runs in five overs. But when Delhi’s spinners came into play, Rajasthan was able to take them out. Buttler was tangled by Axar Patel (1/25) in his first over, a major breakthrough. Kuldeep arrived after the powerplay, and appeared to be in a different position from ball one. At the end of five overs, Rajasthan had 57 runs, but after 10 overs, they only had 93 runs, mainly due to the quality bowling of Kuldeep and Axar.

Kuldeep special in 18th over

As the Rajasthan Royals needed 42 runs from the last three overs, which is possible today, especially when the spinner bowls, one would bet on the batting team. However, Kuldeep broke this stereotype and did an unthinkable job for his team. His only concession was four runs and getting the better of dangerous Donovan Ferreira (1/3) and Ravi Ashwin (2/3). With only 25 runs conceded in his four overs, Kuldeep played a crucial role in Delhi’s victory.

Following an emotional win, the Delhi Capitals keep their hopes alive. With six wins and six losses, they are now 5th in the table and just behind Hyderabad due to a negative net run rate. In the next match, Delhi will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chinnaswamy, where Parimatch odds give them a 2.20x rate. Rajasthan Royals are still in second spot after losing their second game in a row. They now face CSK in Chennai where  Parimatch odds are 2.01x rate for them.