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The Rajasthan Royals
overcome a significant handicap on a night when their three best
batsmen combined for 31 off 37, thanks in large part to what many believe to be
Riyan Parag’s emergence. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Jos Buttler were
all taken out by the ball seaming and swinging. Parag, playing
cautiously, converted 16 off 20 into a match-winning 84 off 45.
Delhi Capitals would have been confident, given the dew and limited seam
movement available, that they could chase down 186 despite the Parag assault.
However, Nandre Burger, the Impact Player for the Royals, made early inroads
with the ball, Yuzvendra Chahal claimed wickets, and Avesh Khan and Sandeep
Sharma finished brilliantly with yorkers and wide lines.
Despite their lack
of exceptional pace, DC’s new-ball bowlers Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed made
the most of the early seam movement by bowling in places where they continued
to assault the stumps. Though RR intended to weather the storm, they were not going
to be able to play the long game if they did.
Despite their lack of exceptional pace, DC’s new-ball bowlers Mukesh Kumar and
Khaleel Ahmed made the most of the early seam movement by bowling in places
where they continued to assault the stumps. Though RR intended to weather the
storm, they were not going to be able to play the long game if they did.
In the early part of
his innings, Parag could hardly muster a run a ball. Meanwhile, R Ashwin was
elevated to the top and he blasted three sixes. Presumably, the plan was to
postpone Shimron Hetmyer’s debut while making sure they avoided using their
Impact replacement against a batter. In addition to waiting till the perfect
moment for the heavier hitters to enter the game, Ashwin struck Kuldeep and
Anrich Nortje, two of DC’s finest bowlers on paper, three times for sixes.
After Ashwin left,
Parag took over, playing on painkillers and flu medicine after three days of
illness. The change in tactics began in the 13th over when Kuldeep pulled a
six. It continued with 6, 4, and 4 in the 15th over to slightly hurt Khaleel’s
numbers. Finally, in the 20th over, a magnificent takedown of Nortje ensued,
going for two sixes and a total of 25 runs.
It was evident that
RR was making great efforts to secure Burger’s services instead of Powell. They
were able to decide thanks to the Parag attack in the last third of the inning.
In the fourth over, Burger dismissed Ricky Bhui and the rampaging Mitchell
Marsh, so vindicating the decision right away. Burger ensured that RR caused
the early damage on a night when Trent Boult went without a wicket and forgot
about taking his typical first-over wicket.
With a known asking
rate and generally improving conditions for batting, David Warner seemed
dangerous, but Avesh got him with a full and wide ball. As noted by pundits
previously, his open front foot has both opened up the off side on balls that
are bowled straight and removed him from the ball when it is bowled wide.
Sandeep was at short third when the edge soared to him after it appeared that
he pulled out a fishing pole to get this one.
After that,
Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Ishan Porel and Risbhabh Pant, two left-handers. If
Boult had completed the easy catch from Tristan Stubbs, Ashwin could have ended
the match in the 17th over, but the relieved hitter kept things interesting by
hitting three sixes and a four off the next six balls he faced. The closest the
equation could go for them, though, was 22 off 10, as Sandeep and Avesh
continued to force the batters to hit into the larger boundary with their
yorkers.