New Delhi [India], May 18 : A masterclass century under pressure by opener KL Rahul and his useful partnerships with Abishek Porel and Axar Patel helped Delhi Capitals (DC) march to 199/3 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
With this century, KL has scored his fifth IPL ton and overall seventh in T20s. DC needs to defend 200 to secure their seventh win of the season and boost their playoff chances.
After GT put DC to bat first, the visitors surely proved their decision right as for the first three overs, GT pacers Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan built up pressure on openers KL Rahul and Faf Du Plessis, not letting them even collect singles. Faf continued his mediocre run, succumbing to the pressure. He gave an easy catch to Siraj at mid-on, but Arshad Khan dismissed him for five in 10 balls. DC was 16/1 in 3.2 overs.
Abishek Porel joined KL on the crease, and the experienced Indian batter put back pressure on GT, with two well-timed fours against Siraj and by looting 17 runs off Kagiso Rabada's first over, the final one of the powerplay. This included two sixes and four from Rahul.
At the end of six overs, DC was 45/1, with KL (36*) and Axar (1*) unbeaten.
DC brought up their 50-run mark in seven overs. KL brought up another fifty in the season, in just 35 balls, with five boundaries and two sixes. This was his fourth of the season.
With Porel and Rahul upping the attack, DC reached 81/1 in 10 overs, with KL (56*) and Porel (15*) unbeaten. After getting to his fifty, Rahul upped the ante, with two sixes against Rabada.
Their 90-run partnership ended, with Sai Kishore getting Porel caught behind by Jos Buttler for 30 in 19 balls (with a four and three sixes). DC was 106/2 in 12 overs.
Skipper Axar Patel joined KL at the crease, and the duo collected some boundaries against spinners. At the end of 15 overs, DC was 136/2, with Axar (10*) and Rahul (86*) unbeaten.
The promising partnership between KL and Axar was cut short as the skipper was caught by Sai Kishore on a Prasidh Krishna delivery at third man for 25 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six. DC was 151/3 in 16.2 overs.
KL continued his innings unaffected by the falling wickets, absorbing all the pressure. He finally reached his fifth IPL century in 60 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes, giving Prasidh his most expensive spell of the season: 1/47 in four overs.
DC ended their innings really well, getting 16 runs in the final over, including two fours by KL and a gigantic six by Tristan Stubbs. At the end, KL was unbeaten at 112* in 65 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes and Stubbs at 21* in 10 balls, with two sixes. DC was 199/3 in their 20 overs.
Prasidh, Sai, and Arshad each got a wicket.
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