Delhi Capitals registered a comfortable 33-run win against Punjab Kings in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Chasing 155 in 20 overs, RR were restricted to 121/6.
The Royals had a dismal start to the proceedings after they were left tottering at 17/3 to eventually get reduced to 55/5 before Sanju Samson and Rahul Tewatia tried to steady the ship. The left-right batting duo put up 44 for the sixth wicket before Tewatia departed for 9 off 15.
But captain Samson continued to score runs from one end and he notched up an unbeaten 70 off 53 that included a maximum and 8 fours.
Anrich Nortje once again was the pick of the bowlers after he returned with 2/18 in 4 overs while Avesh Khan, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada and Axar Patel picked up one wicket apiece.
Earlier, DC too had a struggling stat after they lost openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw early in the innings but Shreyas Iyer and captain Rishabh Pant struck 62 runs for the third wicket. Pant scored run-a-ball 24 while Iyer put 43 off 32.
Shimron Hetmyer was another DC batsman who scored runs at a brisk pace and notched up 16-ball 28 as the side eventually scored 154/6 in 20 overs.
Mustafizur Rahman and Chetan Sakariya picked up a couple of wickets each for RR.
The Rajasthan side captain Sanju Samson admitted that the target of 155 was in the reach with the kind of batting line up that the team possesses.
“A target of 155 with the quality of batsmen we have, I thought it was chaseable. We had the batting to go after it. I think we will come back stronger in the next game. The emotions are on the higher side, we'll think about it tomorrow morning,” he said after the match.
Experts’ Opinion
Commentator Harsha Bhogle lavished praise on Sanju Samson for his innings. “Top class innings from Sanju Samson. The gulf between him and the other batsmen has been there to see,” he tweeted.
Former India player Aakash Chopra was all in praise of Delhi Capitals and even suggested that the side will play this year’s final as well. “Second consecutive finals for Delhi Capitals,” he wrote on Twitter.
Journalist Ayaz Memon also lauded Samson for his knock. “Sanju Samson’s playing a brilliant hand, but by himself may not be able to turn the tables on DC. Tewatia must come to the party too. Match has been infused with life, whatever the outcome,” he tweeted.
Former India wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel hailed Delhi Capitals after the win. “Delhi Capitals take home two valuable points as the first half of the double header comes to an end! Now on to,” he wrote on Twitter.
RR will now play SRH on Monday in Dubai while DC will be up against KKR in Sharjah on Tuesday.