Delhi Capitals (DC) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 6 wickets in Match 26 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday, 12 April.
Powered by Kuldeep’s three-wicket haul, Rishabh Pant's 41-run knock off 24 balls and Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk’s blistering half-century (55 runs off 34 balls), the visitors chased down the target of 168 runs in 18.1 overs.
Jake Fraser-McGurk's Fifty
The Capitals began strongly, with openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw confidently scoring boundaries. However, their momentum was halted when Warner fell victim to an unfortunate dismissal in the 4th over - he shuffled across and the ball spun back to dislodge the stumps.
In came Jake Fraser-McGurk and wasted no time, hitting a six on just his second ball. Shaw and Fraser-McGurk continued to add to the scorecard with a flurry of boundaries, until Shaw was caught out by Ravi Bishnoi in the 7th over after contributing 32 runs from 22 deliveries.
DC skipper Rishabh Pant then joined Fraser-McGurk, forming a formidable partnership that yielded 77 runs from 46 balls before Fraser-McGurk departed in the 15th over, bowled by Naveen-ul-Haq.
Stubbs' Winning Six
Following McGurk’s departure, Tristan Stubbs partnered with Pant at the crease. However, Pant's innings came to an end when he was stumped off a Ravi Bishnoi delivery in the 16th over, having contributed a brisk 41 runs from just 24 balls to DC's total.
As the Capitals required 22 runs from 27 balls, Shai Hope entered the fray, starting his innings with a boundary. Stubbs then sealed the victory for the visiting side with a six, ensuring they triumphed with 11 balls remaining. Hope remained unbeaten on 15 runs.
What Happened in the First Innings?
Earlier, Spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed three wickets on his return from injury, but Ayush Badoni's brilliant unbeaten half-century lifted the hosts to 167/7 in 20 overs.
Batting first on the central spongy pitch, opener De Kock departed after scoring 19 off 13 deliveries in Khaleel's second over. With his eighth wicket in this IPL season, Khaleel became the joint fourth in the wicket-takers list.
Khaleel, bowling his third over of the Power-play, got the second wicket for Delhi as Devdutt Padikkal was pinned in front of middle and leg for his fifth consecutive single-figure score since joining LSG.
Kuldeep Yadav's Fiery Return
LSG were 57/2 after six overs, ahead of the pace they set against Titans in their previous match. Skipper KL Rahul, scored 30 off 14 balls in that, this was Rahul's joint-best Power-play score for the Super Giants.
Kuldeep Yadav missed the Capitals' last three matches due to an injury, but he was back with a bang. The wrist-spinner picked up Marcus Stoinis (8) on his third ball. Nicholas Pooran, LSG's in-form batter, for zero with one that ripped back to uproot the off-stump.
Rahul was batting on 39 from 21 when he attempted to cut one going across him and feathered an edge behind Kuldeep. LSG were 80/5 at the end of 10 overs, having brought Deepak Hooda in as their Impact Substitute replacing de Kock. Kuldeep Yadav ended his spell with figures of 3-20 in his four overs.
Badoni's Finishing Act
LSG were six down after the fall of Pandya (3) off the final ball of the 13th over and the second over of Mukesh Kumar. Kuldeep started the rout with two in two balls and the home side then lost 5 for 28 during the middle overs of their innings.
With the spinners bowled out and Khaleel Ahmed returning for the 18th over, Badoni decided it was time to go after the bowling. Badoni, with a strike rate of 167.70 in death overs, turned the momentum in LSG’s favour after back-to-back boundaries to take the hosts past 150.
Badoni completed his half-century in 31 deliveries on the last ball of the 19th over. He and Arshad Khan added 73 runs in 42 deliveries for the eighth wicket partnership, which propelled the hosts to 167/7 at the end of 20 overs. It was the highest eighth-wicket partnership in IPL history.
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