Rajasthan Royals (RR) continue the ‘home’ teams winning trend as they beat the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 12 runs in RR vs DC match. The game, played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, saw Riyan Parag hit a magnificent 84* while Avesh Khan closed the game off with a superb final over.
RR, who were put to bat first, endured a dodgy start as they lost their first three wickets in just 7.2 overs. Ravichandran Ashwin then played a counter-attacking innings before Parag (84* off 45) thrashed the DC bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Delhi’s run-chase saw no batter hitting a single fifty. David Warner, though, made 49, with Tristan Stubbs smashing 44*. Nandre Burger and Yuzvendra Chahal bagged two wickets each for RR.
There were several noteworthy moments as well that took place during the recently concluded IPL 2024 match. Here are some of those significant moments of play that ultimately decided the outcome of the game.
Jaiswal getting castled by Mukesh
Yashasvi Jaiswal entered IPL 2024 on the back of a superlative form in the India-England Test series. However, he hasn’t fired in the first two games for RR, with him getting castled by Mukesh Kumar in the recent game.
It was a perfect delivery by Mukesh, who cleaned up the southpaw, who got dismissed on 5 off 7.
Ashwin’s hat-trick of sixes
After RR lost all three of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler inside eight overs, they made a great tactical move to promote Ravichandran Ashwin at No. 5.
Typically a bowling all-rounder, Ashwin stunned cricket enthusiasts by delivery a brilliant cameo. He smashed 29 runs off 19 balls, hitting three maximums in the process. The 37-year-old hammered some exquisite strokes, including two sixes to Anrich Nortje.
Riyan Parag’s magical 84*
It was Riyan Parag’s night as he entertained the Jaipur crowd with a resounding 84* off only 45 balls. On a track that wasn’t conducive to attacking batting, Parag stood tall and blew some magnificent strokes.
Parag, who had a mediocre record in IPL prior to this season, finally showcased what he has to offer with his career-best score in the league. He bludgeoned seven fours and six sixes.
Parag completely tore apart Nortje as he clubbed 25 runs off the 20th over bowled by the South African pacer.
Run-out chance missed!
The ninth over of DC’s innings saw David Warner get a huge let-off as Ravichandran Ashwin missed out an easy run-out opportunity. A confusion between Warner and Rishabh Pant nearly ended the former’s stay as Jaiswal, who was standing at covers, fielded the ball aptly. The RR batter sent down a decent throw to Ashwin at the bowling’s end.
However, Ashwin failed to collect the ball and Warner quickly pounced on this and got to the popping crease.
Sandeep Sharma’s blinder to send back Warner
Sandeep Sharma perhaps took the best catch of the RR vs DC match when his grab sent back David Warner one run short of his half-century. During the second ball of the 12th over, bowled by Avesh Khan, Warner thick-edged one that went right of Sandeep, who was standing at short third-man.
The RR bowler gave a full-stretched dive and plucked a superb catch to enforce an important breakthrough for his side.
Avesh Khan’s final over seal the show for RR
After Tristan Stubbs was looking quite dangerous, hitting two boundaries and three sixes, the onus fell on Avesh Khan to defend 17 runs off the ultimate over.
The Indian pacer did a brilliant job as he nailed most of his yorkers in the over and leaked just four runs. Avesh’s inspired bowler against his former franchise sealed the game for RR.
