DC vs RR Highlights and Match Recap, IPL 2019, Full cricket score: Pant hits unbeaten 53 to take Delhi home by five wickets

Delhi Capitals beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets

FIFTY! Rishabh Pant blasts a six for the victory shot and he also brings up his half-century. Smacks the short ball over wide long on. The maturety that hasn’t been always associated with Pant was visible today. He took 10 balls to get off the mark but he finished with 53 off 38 balls. He is capable of such remarkable display. The loss for RR means they are in now the second team that has been knocked out from playoffs contention.

After 16 overs,Delhi Capitals 115/5 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 47 , Axar Patel 1)
 

Shreyas Gopal comes to bowl his final over and picks Rutherford’s wicket but two sixes were struck in the over, Pant levels the score for DC.

Most sixes for Delhi in IPL:

86 – RISHABH PANT*
85 – Virender Sehwag
67 – Shreyas Iyer

OUT! Rutherford goes for the glory shot but is outfoxed by Gopal. He tossed this up, bowling it slower through the air. Rutherford waltzed down the track and wants to hit this down the ground, connects it from the bottom half of the bat and Livingstone takes another catch.
 

Rutherford c Livingstone b Shreyas Gopal 11(6)

After 15 overs,Delhi Capitals 100/4 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 39 , Sherfane Rutherford 5)

Varun Aaron is back into the attack. Rutherford safely makes his ground but a better throw from Mahipal Lomror from long leg could have created a run out opportunity which would subsequently send down jitters in DC’s camp. However, a six and a four must have wiped off whatever little pressure that was building.DC take 16 runs from the over, exactly the number of runs required now in 30 balls.

After 14 overs,Delhi Capitals 85/4 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 28 , Sherfane Rutherford 1)

Ish Sodhi returns to the bowling crease. Pant goes for an almighty slog across the line and doesn’t middle it, in fact he ends up top edging that goes high but fortunately for him the ball falls in no man’s land. No such luck for Ingram as he departs for 12. Sherfane Rutherford walks out at number six.

OUT! Ingram’s attempt to sweep goes wrong. The ball bounces slightly more than what he accounted for. It comes off his gloves and goes over the keeper but Ajinkya Rahane at first slip runs across to pouch it safely. Is there some life still left in the game? Sodhi has his third.

Ingram c Rahane b Ish Sodhi 12(23)

After 13 overs,Delhi Capitals 81/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 27 , Colin Ingram 11)

Gowtham continues. Singles off the first two balls post which some tight bowling from KG as bowls couple of dots to Pant. He gets to the other end courtesy Gopal’s misfield. DC now require 35 to win 42 balls.

After 12 overs,Delhi Capitals 77/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 25 , Colin Ingram 9)

Another tidy over from Shreyas Gopal. Only two singles came from it. This will hurt RR as they lose six more deliveries off Gopal which returned with no wickets. He now has six deliveries up his sleeve. DC need 39 off 48 balls.

After 11 overs,Delhi Capitals 75/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 24 , Colin Ingram 8)

Some sensible batting from Pant and Ingram as they motor along. The pitch might not allow them to play their free flowing strokes but it is about adapting to the surface. Five runs from the over. DC need 40 off 54 balls.

After 10 overs,Delhi Capitals 70/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 23 , Colin Ingram 4)

Stuart Binny becomes the latest entrant to join merry-go-round of the bowling changes. RR have used seven bowlers to complete the first half of the second innings. Pant and Ingram are able to exchange strike working singles away available.

After 9 overs,Delhi Capitals 64/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 20 , Colin Ingram 1)

Rahane continues to shuffle his bowlers around. Gowtham is called back into the attack and is able to stifle Ingram to one end, bowling five dots after Pant collected a single of the first ball. Still 52 needed off 66 balls.

After 8 overs,Delhi Capitals 63/3 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 19 , Colin Ingram 1)

Just when Shreyas and Pant were smacking the ball around for fun. Gopal comes in and strikes to bring the downfall of the Delhi captain. RR aren’t going down without putting a fight. Ingram joins Pant in the middle. He gets off the mark immediately.

Most wickets in T20 cricket in 2019:

37 – Rashid Khan
33 – Wahab Riaz 
32 – Sandeep Lamichhane, Shreyas Gopal*

OUT! Smart bowling from Shreyas Gopal. He has got his namesake as the Delhi Capitals skipper sends one down long on’s throat. He tosses the ball fearlessly and Iyer miscues his shot down the ground. Livingstone makes no mistake at long on.

Shreyas Iyer c Livingstone b Shreyas Gopal 15(9)

After 7 overs,Delhi Capitals 60/2 ( Shreyas Iyer (C) 15 , Rishabh Pant (W) 17)

Pant getting into the action. Rahane turns to Riyan Parag to bring his midas touch into play. Pant attacks him with couple of biggies. Delhi now need only 56 runs off 78 balls.

After 6 overs,Delhi Capitals 46/2 ( Shreyas Iyer (C) 14 , Rishabh Pant (W) 4)

Early glory for Ish Sodhi in the first over but he is busted in his second. Iyer smashes him for consecutive sixes and ends the over conceding another boundary to make it a 17-run over. End of the powerplay and the time out has been taken.

After 5 overs,Delhi Capitals 29/2 ( Shreyas Iyer (C) 1 , Rishabh Pant (W) 0)

Spin from both ends now. Another wrist-spinner Shreyas Gopal is introduced into the attack. Iyer with a single off the first ball and Pant sees out the rest of the over. Atypical from Pant as is yet to get off the mark after facing nine deliveries but Delhi Capitals will not mind this approach as long as he doesn’t lose his wicket.

After 4 overs,Delhi Capitals 28/2 ( Shreyas Iyer (C) 0 , Rishabh Pant (W) 0)
 

What can be better than a wicket maiden for Rajasthan Royals while they are defending 115? A double-wicket maiden. Rahane continues to give his bowlers one over in the Powerplay to leave a mark. Ish Sodhi gets his chance and removes the Delhi openers in the first two balls he bowls. Rishabh Pant avoids the hat-trick ball. Spirits in RR camp surely rise.

OUT! Bowlem’em! Prithivi Shaw plays on. Ish Sodhi has struck twice in two balls. What a start for the leggie and that should be a great boost for the RR side. Shaw sees the ball slightly short and outside the off stump and he goes for the cut, gets a inside edge onto his stumps. He is done in by the slowness of the wicket.

Prithvi Shaw b Ish Sodhi 8(8)

OUT! Dhawan goes down the track, trying to take the attack to the wrist-spinner. Was looking to go over mid on, closes the face of the bat slightly sooner and the ball goes straight up. Riyan back paddles and takes a good catch. Can’t keep him out of the action.

Dhawan c Riyan Parag b Ish Sodhi 16(12)

After 3 overs,Delhi Capitals 28/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 8 , Shikhar Dhawan 16)

Three boundaries off Thomas’ first over. Dhawan looking really good in the middle. Delhi Capitals are off to a very good start. RR in desperate need for wickets. Who does Rahane turn to?