A Sandstorm, AB de Villiers, the last overs of the match…This script is much better than any of the Bollywood movies of the last few years. RCB was powered by a late onslaught thanks to the magical South African after Delhi Capitals pretty much dominated the entire match. DC came back strong. But Siraj held his nerve to take RCB over the line with a margin of just 1 Run.
RCB Batting First Innings and AB de Villiers Onslaught (VIVO IPL Match Day 22)
Rishabh Pant won the toss and elected to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The decision to field first looked like it will pay off after Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal were both gone in quick succession. Avesh Khan, the young pacer continues to impress and he clean bowled Kohli off just 12 runs. Ishant Sharma’s comeback to DC was a brilliant one. The lanky pacer got the dangerous Padikkal out for just 17 runs.
RCB was in need of someone to come in and steady the ship in the middle. Rajat Patidar and Maxwell gave RCB some stability in the middle of the innings. Patidar played a sensible and stable inning of 31 runs off 22 balls. Maxwell looked dangerous smashing two big sixes and a four. However, the Australian got out just as he was looking dangerous. He departed trying to hit Amit Mishra out of the stadium and holding out to Rabada for 25.
What. A. Match!@RCBTweets prevail by 1 run. With 6 needed off the final ball, Pant hits a boundary but @DelhiCapitals fall short by a whisker. Siraj does well under pressure.
Hetmyer and Pant are distraught. https://t.co/NQ9SSSBbVT #DCvRCB #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/ju87soRG6B
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 27, 2021
Every time AB de Villiers walks out to bat, there is an expectation of everyone witnessing something special. De Villiers singlehandedly launched a fierce attack on the DC bowling line-up. Khan, Sharma, and Mishra were all economical in their four-over spells. De Villiers singled out Rabada for the assault first and then turned his attention towards Stoinis in the last over of the match.
Pant’s decision to give Stoinis his first over in the last over the match backfired badly for DC. At one point, DC looked like holding RCB within the 15o mark. The last over saw de Villiers cart Stoinis for 23 runs with 3 smashing sixes and a boundary. De Villiers’s late blitz powering RCB to a very respectable 171 and turning the momentum in favor of the team.
The Delhi Capitals Chase- So Near Yet So Far
RCB looked to start strong in their bowling against DC. With both the DC openers in fine form, it was imperative to take quick wickets and turn on the screws. Shaw looked like he would get DC off to a fiery start. The flamboyant right-hand batsmen have found his mojo back.
Shaw started strong but Dhawan never got going. It looked like bowlers have figured out how to cramp Dhawan for the room from around the wicket and get him to take some risks. Jamieson did exactly that. A short ball that just bounced a bit more and made Dhawan loft it to fine leg. A patient Chahal taking the catch and making the first breakthrough.
Mohammad Siraj is being heavily rated as a fine young talent from everyone like Dale Steyn to Dominic Cork. He produced a peach of a delivery that took Steve Smith’s outside edge. DC looked like they were in big trouble. With Pant and Stonis left with a lot of responsibility. DC needed 110 off the last ten overs.
#RCB Win By 1 Run Against #DC . Go To The Top Of The VIVO #IPL2021 Table
#IndianPremierLeague #iplfantasyleague #DelhiCapitals #dcfcfans #RoyalChallengersBangalore #RCWIN #DCvsRCB #PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #DareToDream #Unite2FightCorona @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/srSCSkutJg
— TheSportsMag (@TheSportsMag1) April 27, 2021
Stoinis and Pant got DC going by stitching together a crucial partnership in the middle overs. Stoinis was looking good but got out against the run of play from an Axar Patel beauty. The Australian scoring 22 off 17 balls with 3 fours. It was Pant and Hetmyer who had to take DC home. Pant was playing with a lot of caution and putting a big prize on his wicket.
Hetmyer was to be the aggressor and the West Indian looked like he would be up for the job. He smashed a big six and then followed it up with 2 fours. DC needed 46 runs off the last 18 balls of the innings. This was too looked like it was headed to a photo finish.
Hetmyer started the 18th over by smashing Jamieson for big sixes of the 2nd and 4th ball of the over. The left-hander looked like in complete control of the match. The last ball of the over was smashed over mid-on for a huge six. Hetmyer singlehandedly brought down the required runs to a manageable mark. DC needed 25 runs off the last 2 overs.
Hetmyer bringing up his fifty off just 23 balls. The last over was handed by Kohli to Siraj. With 14 runs required off just 6 balls, would Siraj be able to pull it off for RCB?
DC needed a six off the last ball of the innings. Siraj bowled just one bad ball and it was edged by Pant to the third man boundary. Pant could only smash one to the boundary for 4. RCB finished victors by just 1 RUN!
