Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 21 : Delhi Capitals and India's versatile wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul added another feather to his cap after completing his seventh 500-plus runs season in the Indian Premier League, the joint second-highest in the tournament's history.
Rahul completed the feat during Delhi's high-stakes fixture against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. The 33-year-old flopped during Delhi's pursuit of the 181-run target but did enough to cross the 500-run landmark in the 18th season of the cash-rich league.
This was the seventh instance when Rahul crossed the 500-run mark in IPL, and went level with the former flamboyant Australian opener David Warner. India's batting maestro Virat Kohli is at the top with eight 500-plus runs seasons under his belt. Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan follows in the next with a five 500-plus runs season in the tournament.
During his dull outing with the bat, Rahul mustered up just 11 from six deliveries, in a fixture where DC's playoff hopes were hanging by a thin thread. New Zealand's seasoned left-arm seamer Trent Boult lured an outside edge, and wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton came forward to take a low catch, marking the end of Rahul's stay at the crease.
Boult had a beaming smile while Rahul shook his head in disbelief. This was the eighth instance when Boult struck in the powerplay in the 18th season of the IPL while maintaining an economy rate of 8.37. Mohammed Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed have scythed nine wickets each in the current edition.
With one fixture to go, Rahul boasts 504 runs in 12 fixtures at an average of 56.00 while striking at 148.67. Like Rahul, DC's majority of the batters failed to cope with the pressure of Mumbai's target.
Mitchell Santner and Jasprit Bumrah tore apart Delhi's hopes of scripting a comeback with their sizzling three-wicket hauls. DC succumbed to the mounting task and surrendered to a 59-run defeat.
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