Rajasthan Royals got their 5th win in this year’s Indian Premier League after putting on a dominating batting display at the Wankhede against Delhi Capitals. Rishabh Pant won the toss and elected to field first. Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal created an opening stand of 155 in 15 overs to put RR onto the front foot.
They finished their innings at 222/2. A ground like Wankhede is always difficult to defend any total. Even though RR has got a strong bowling unit Delhi gave them some taste of their own medicine as well. The game went to the final over but in the end, Delhi fell short by 15 runs. It was a bit of controversy at the end regarding a high full toss but the Delhi skipper said that it was frustrating to lose the game.
“They were bowling well throughout the game. In the end, Rovman Powell gave us a chance. Thought that no-ball could have been precious for us. It is not in my control. Yes, disappointed but can not do much about it. Everyone was frustrated (in the dugout) that it was not even close. Everyone on the ground saw that. Think the third umpire should have interfered and said it was a no-ball.”
Let’s look at the talking points –
Buttler in the form of his life
The 31-year-old English wicket-keeper batsman is playing at a completely different level it seems. It was his third hundred in this year’s edition and the Orange cap race seems to be over already with the kind of form Buttler is going. His knock of 116 of 65 balls included 9 sixes and 9 boundaries. The 155 run partnership between him and Padikkal is RR’s highest opening stand in their history. Buttler is now a century short of Virat Kohli’s tally of four hundred in an IPL season which he made in 2016.
An off day for DC bowling
After putting on a great show against the Punjab Kings last game, Delhi bowling got some real thrashing at the Wankhede by Rajasthan. They could manage to pick up only two wickets in 20 overs as Rajasthan put up a massive total of 222. DC spin trio of Lalit, Axar and Kuldeep, that took 6 wickets combined in the last game with the most economical spells, all of them went over 10 runs per over in this one.
Prasidh Krishna’s wicket maiden turned the RR Vs DC game in the 19th over
On a day when all the bowlers went for plenty, Prasidh Krishna did something special with the wet ball in the final phase of the game. DC needed 36 off the final two overs when Krishna came into bowl and he dismissed Lalit Yadav in the third delivery. Not only that, he made sure that Rovman Powell don’t get the strike in his over and bowled a wicket-maiden to finish his spell with the figure of 22/3.
RR Vs DC ends in a no-ball controversy
It was Obed McCoy once again for the Royals to bowl the final over, though he had not really impressed in the game. Rovman Powell needed to hit 6 sixes. Powell did hit three massive ones from the first three but the third ball was a high full toss which the umpire did not call a no-ball. Pant went frustrated in the dugout and called back the batters. Things did not look good for the game at that point, however, Pant acknowledged that it was his mistake which he did at the hit of the moment.
