Michell Starc with pinpoint accuracy delivered 5 Yorkers to concede only 8 runs and drag his team Delhi Capitals to a super over at the Arun Jatley Stadium for his franchise to beat Rajasthan Royals with 2 balls to spare after he claimed 2 for 11 in the super over including two run outs conceding just 8 runs which limited Rajasthan to 2 for 11 before Lokesh Rahul and Tristan Stubbs smashed Sandeep Sharma’s first four balls for 13 runs with Stubbs hitting the winning six to taking Delhi to top of the points table with five wins from six games. It marked a historic first ever super over in the IPL.
Delhi then took just four balls to chase down the 11 runs to claim victory.
Starc forced the game into the super over with a brilliant eight-run 20th over as Rajasthan finished at 4-188 in reply to Delhi’s 5-188.
In a nutshell, Rajasthan Royals vs. Delhi Capitsls game in the 18th edition of the IPL ended as a blockbuster. Even Bollywood stars like Sharukh Khan would want to be the hero if this game concluded yesterday can be edited as a movie.
The drama started with Delhi Capitals inserted into taking first lease of the wicket with Abisheik Porel on a roll whilst his fellow opener Jake Mcgurk still in drought mode with his willow.
Joffra Archer dismissed the Aussie batter for 9 whilst Abisheik Porel was playing fearless cricket. With McGurk out of the way, Karun Nair practically ran himself out by not disturbing the scorers with the score on 34. Rajasthan Royals struggled with K.L Rahul batting at number 4 joining Porel, and the pair stitching a partnership of 63 valuable runs for the 3rd wicket with Rahul thumping 38 runs in 22 deliveries before Jofra Archer had him caught brilliantly by Shimron Hetmyyer with Delhi Capitols out of the woods now with the score on 94 for 3 wickets.
One gets two seems a reality in all forms of cricket in this day and age as Porel gets undone by Hasaranga for 49 with Delhi Capitals dipping to 105 for 4 wickets.
Delhi Capitals skipper Axer Patel tore into Hasaranga, he made 34 off 14 deliveries, he even executed 2 consecutive boundaries off Theekshana, but the Sri Lankan mystery spinner had him caught for 34 with Delhi Capitals on 146 for 5 wickets at the conclusion of the 16th over. Tristan Stubbs displayed some South African power hitting to remain unbeaten on 34 whilst Delhi Capitals ended on 188 for 5 wickets and Sandeep Sharma guilty of bowling 4 wides in the last over after being wicket less in his mystery spell of 4 overs conceding just 33 runs.
Jofra Archer 2 for 31, Hasaranga 1 for 36, and Theekshana 1 for 40 were the wicket takers.
Rajasthan Royals, due poor catching in which Theekshana and Riyan Parang were guilty parties, in hind sight leaked too many runs.
189 runs in pursuit of a win against Delhi Capitals is a challenge.
Jaiswal and Sanju Samson got Rajasthan Royals to a dream start before Samson nursing a side strain retired hurt on 34 with Rajasthan Royals on 61 stitched in the power play overs.
Legally, Rajasthan Royals lost their first wicket on 76 when Kuldeep Yadav had the RR skipper dismissed for 8 runs. Jaiswal and Nitesh Rana were definitely on course to take Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable win when the pair looked set on 112 for one wicket in 13.2 overs, but a breakthrough presented itself when the left arm wrist spinner accounted for his second scalp claiming the prime wicket of Jaiswal 51 with Juriel joining Niitesh Rana at the wickets.
With Rajasthan Royals on 161 for 2 wickets in 17.3 overs and Nitesh Rana on 51 after getting a life in the 15th over compliments of Tristan Stubbs, Nitesh became a victim of a deadly reverse swing from Mitchell Starc who struck gold trapping him LBW in the 18th over and the total had a dip to 161 for 3 wickets in 17.3 overs.
Hetmyyer and Juriel were given the responsibility of taking Rajasthan Royals to a historic win, but the effort was spoilt by a pinpoint 5 Yorkers bowled by Starc, the death over specialist to whom Hetmyer and Juriel had no answers.
Need of the hour 12 runs to win, 11 runs for a super over which Starc delivered to near accuracy in taking the game to a super over finish, this being the first in IPL 2025.
Rajasthan Royals ended up on 188 for 4 wickets, with Juriel run out attempting an impossible second run needed in the final ball. It was a dramatic scene, one of its kind.
I was not surprised to see Hartmeyer walk into bat, but Riyan Parang, instead of Jaiswal to face Mitch, Starc raised many an eye brow.
RP faced only 5 balls of the available 6 balls with two run outs scoring 11 runs, the result not only losing the super over contest on a platter but learning that facing bowlers in the class of Starc needs extra skills, especially in death overs.
Delhi Capitals now regain their place as table toppers whist Rajasthan Royals are muddled in the middle.