• Stubbs helps Delhi down Rajasthan

    Published on

    Tristan Stubbs delivered again for the Delhi Capitals in their 20-run win against the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL on Tuesday.

    Stubbs scored 41 off 20 balls (three fours, three sixes) as Delhi posted 221-8 at their home Feroz Shah Kotla ground.

    Rajasthan looked good in their chase after Samson’s 86 off 46 balls, but his dismissal, a catch in the deep which was ruled clean by the third umpire, turned the match in Delhi’s favour.

    Rajasthan, who are yet to confirm their playoff spot, lost three more wickets in the next two overs and Delhi restricted the opposition to 201-8 for their sixth win in 12 matches.

    “We had it in our hands, it was 10-11 runs per over which was achievable but these things happen in the IPL,” Samson said after the loss.

    Inaugural champions Rajasthan, placed second behind toppers the Kolkata Knight Riders, have eight wins in 11 matches and still favourites to make the top two in the playoffs.

    The top four teams will make the playoffs but No 1 and 2 will have the advantage of getting an extra match to enter the final on 26 May in Chennai.

    Spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned impressive figures of 2-25. Fast bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar also took two wickets.

    But the batters set up victory after Fraser-McGurk, who scored 50 off 20 balls, and Abishek Porel, who hit 65 off 36, attacked in an opening stand of 60.

    Rajasthan lost wickets after the openers departed but Stubbs’ late charge took the total to 221-8.

    Stubbs was helped by Gulbadin Naib, who hit 19, and Rasikh Salam, who hit two sixes in his nine runs, as Delhi got 53 runs from the last three overs.

    The in-form Samson, a wicketkeeper-batsman who has amassed 459 runs, attempted to set up the chase only to depart in the 16th over when Shai Hope caught the batsman off Kumar.

    Hope’s foot was parallel to the boundary rope but the third umpire ruled it out and a disappointed Samson walked back after a chat with the on-field officials.

    Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led the Rajasthan bowling with figures of 3-24.

    Yuzvendra Chahal took his 350th T20 wicket – the first Indian to achieve the feat – when he got skipper Rishabh Pant, a left-hand batsman, caught out at fine leg for 15.

    © Agence France-Presse

    Photo: BCCI

    Post by

    Simon Borchardt