A quick-fire knock by Shimron Hetmyer and useful contribution by Marcus Stoinis enabled Delhi Capitals to post a competitive total of 184 for 8 against Rajasthan Royals in the Dream11 Indian Premier League match at the Sharjah Cricket ground on Friday.
Put in to bat, Delhi Capitals did not have the best of starts as Shikhar Dhawan (5) departed cheaply. Prithvi Shaw (19: 10 balls, 2×4)) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (22: 18 balls, 4×4) looked in good touch but failed to capitalise on the fine starts.
While Shaw was held in his follow-through by Jofra Archer, Iyer was run out by Yashasvi Jaiswal after his mix-up with Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batsman was also dismissed in the same fashion as he went for a non-existent single while batting with Marcus Stoinis.
When it looked DC would crumble under pressure, Stoinis and Hetmyer bailed them out with some big hitting. Stoinis, who is contributing in almost every match with the bat, continued his fine showing with a superb 39 off 30 balls. He did not slam a single four but hammered four sixes, making good use of the small Sharjah ground.
Hetmyer was more severe on the Rajasthan Royals bowlers. The flamboyant southpaw smashed 45 off just 24 balls. The West Indies star cracked a four and five towering sixes. He could have completed his fifty with another six but he was held at the long-on boundary ropes by a leaping Rahul Tewatia off Kartik Tyagi. Hetmyer was very annoyed with the way he got out as he looked determined for a big innings.
Axar Patel (17) and Harshal Patel (16) somehow maintained the tempo but could not accelerate much. In the last five overs, Delhi Capitals piled up 62 runs but also lost three wickets.
Archer (3-24) and Tewatia (1-20) shone with the ball for Rajasthan Royals. A brilliant final over from Archer in which he took a wicket and conceded just 3 singles helped RR restrict DC below the 200-run mark.
Brief Scores
Delhi Capitals 184 for 8 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 45, Marcus Stoinis 39, Shreyas Iyer 22, Prithvi Shaw 19, Axar Patel 17, Harshal Patel 16; Jofra Archer 3-24, Rahul Tewatia 1-20, Kartik Tyagi 1-35, Andrew Tye 1-50) vs Rajasthan Royals.
Courtesy: orangecitysports.com
