Rajasthan Royals’ qualification to the playoffs has been delayed after losing to Delhi Capitals by 20 runs on Tuesday in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter. RR has lost two consecutive matches, preventing them from securing a spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, DC remains in the thick of the race for the playoffs after this crucial victory.
DC openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abhishek Porel set the tone with explosive half-centuries, while Tristan Stubbs contributed 41 off just 20 balls. DC posted a daunting 221/8 batting first.
Sanju Samson’s 46-ball 86 had given RR hope of chasing down the total, but Kuldeep Yadav turned the tide in DC’s favor in the 17th over. Yadav conceded just four runs and took two wickets, changing the match’s momentum. DC scored 53 runs in the final three overs while the Royals managed only 20 runs, playing a key role in their defeat and keeping DC’s hopes alive.
Chasing a challenging 222, the Royals adopted an aggressive approach in the powerplay, despite losing two wickets. Jos Buttler, who came in as an impact substitute, failed to make a significant impact along with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal was dismissed off the second ball of the innings, and Buttler was out in the final over of the powerplay after scoring two boundaries and a maximum.
RR managed 67/2 at the end of the powerplay. Samson then forged a 36-run stand with Riyan Parag (27) and a 59-run stand with Shubham Dubey. Khallel Ahmed bowled four consecutive wides in the 14th over, which aided RR in maintaining the required run rate.
Samson (86) seemed poised to reach the three-digit mark, but Mukesh Kumar dismissed him, with Shai Hope taking a sharp catch at the boundary. With four overs remaining and Royals needing 52 runs, Shubham struck a six and a four in the first two balls off Khaleel, bringing the visitors closer to the target. However, Khaleel had the last laugh, dismissing Shubham (25) with a short ball.
Debutant Donovan Ferreira’s opportunity was snatched away by Kuldeep Yadav in a game-changing 18th over. The ‘Chinaman’ spinner struck again in the same over, claiming Ravichandran Ashwin’s wicket. The Royals needed Rovman Powell’s power-hitting in the final overs, and he delivered with a towering six off Rasikh Dar Salam, when the visitors required 35 runs in 9 deliveries.
With 29 runs needed in 6 deliveries, Boult took a single to put Powell on strike, leaving 28 runs to score in 5 balls. Mukesh put the final nail in the coffin with a curving yorker, dismissing Powell (13) and giving DC a comprehensive 20-run victory.
In the updated IPL points table after the DC vs. RR match, DC has jumped past Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to take the fifth spot. DC is the fourth team to reach 12 points. Third-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and fourth-placed SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) are above them, while LSG falls below based on net run rate.
Meanwhile, RR remains second behind KKR, having suffered a second consecutive loss after going the entire season with just one defeat before that. They are tied on 16 points with KKR, but KKR’s superior net run rate (1.453) keeps them at the top of the table.
