Highlights, IPL 2021, RCB v DC Full Cricket Score: Bharat wins it for RCB with last ball six

Srikar Bharat is the Man of the Match: “Great wining on the last ball, and an incredible feeling to finish it off. Maxi and I just kept telling each other to watch that ball till the end. I wasn’t nervous at any point and I was just looking for the right ball and the opportunity to hit it out. I have worked hard and nothing comes easy. This will give us a lot of confidence.”

RCB skipper Virat Kohli: “Unbelievable game. We had nothing to lose, but it was a competitive game which is always the case in the IPL. We have beaten them twice now. The way AB batted in the beginning and then with KS and Maxwell in the end was unbelievable. The reality was that we had to win by 160 runs, and we thought that there could be a collapse or something. We thought of it the other way aruond. This gives us the confidence that we can pull off a game from any situation. We haven’t chased much in this tournament. Number three hasn’t been an issue. We wanted to give Christian some time, he was batting really well in the middle. We took that chance and it didn’t come off. We knew KS was a guy who could come in at three at any stage. I think we need to sharpen up in the field. Sometimes the boundaries that go at crucial stages, could be critical. You need to be switched on always. A win like this gives you the confidence. We have played well in Sharjah. We have been able to handle the conditions and keep the opporition in check if things have gotten away from us. We have the experience already and we need to utilize it as much as possible to keep moving on in this tournament.”

RCB’s AB de Villiers: “Very happy that the boys went across the line. Much needed momentum before the knockouts. We haven’t always had the best of starts in the powerplay, but today we bowled well to Prithvi and Dhawan. It showed once again that there is a lot of character in the bowling unit. I’m feeling good. Not a lot of batting opportunities but I’m striking it hard. We need to up it a notch in the knockouts. We are close to our best cricket.”

Post-match presentation

Rishabh Pant: “We know how important fielding is in T20s. If you field the way we did, you deserve to lose. We also lost too many wickets while batting. But we will have to field better next time, I guess. It was difficult for the fast bowlers with the dew, but the fielding has to support the bowling unit. We are not feeling great because you want to win these kind of matches.”

It was there for the taking for DC in that final over the way Avesh started… and yet.

Something to take away from this game. It’s never over until it’s over. #RCBvDC #IPL2021 #KsBharat 👏🏼👏🏼

— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) October 8, 2021

Absolute scenes!

Scenes from the #RCB camp as @KonaBharat finishes it off in style.#VIVOIPL #RCBvDC pic.twitter.com/ApyHdTuJ9U

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 8, 2021

RCB win by 7 wickets

Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets in a last ball thriller. Srikar Bharat emerges the hero with a last ball six and an unbeaten 78 with great support at the other end from Glenn Maxwell who gets 51* from 33 balls. DC largely poor in the field and it is RCB who are all smiles at the end of this

After 20 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 166/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 78 , Glenn Maxwell 51)

Avesh Khan to bowl the final over. 15 needed from 6 balls. First ball, FOUR! Flat-batted swat for a four beyond mid-off. Next ball, Maxwell collects two for his fifty. On the third, the ball hits Maxwell on the back pad. DC opt to review but it is going well outside leg stump. Fourth ball, a dot! Swing and a miss. Yorked! Bharat digs it away and sloppy fielding from Axar allows two runs. 6 needed from last ball. Sunny G in the commentary both is upset with that effort. WIDE! 5 needed from one. Full toss and this has cleared the boundary! RCB WIN! WHAT A SHOT! Bharat is jubilant and he has every reason to be. Kohli is all smiles and hugs all around in the RCB camp. RCB win by 7 wickets

GLORY SHOT! Full toss from Avesh Khan and Bharat swings and swings it big! It goes over Axar Patel’s head on the boundary rope.

FIFTY!

51 from 32 balls for Glenn Maxwell and this is his sixth IPL fifty of the season. Sends it to deep mid-wicket for two and retains the strike

Avesh Khan to bowl the final over. And first ball, FOUR! 121.6 kmph and Maxwell flat bats it past the fielder at mid-on.

After 19 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 150/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 70 , Glenn Maxwell 45)

Brilliant over from Nortje. Two dot balls and four singles from it. Cutting down on width for both batters and getting the ball in the right slot. RCB need 15 from 6 balls

After 18 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 146/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 68 , Glenn Maxwell 43)

Avesh Khan into the attack. Second ball, Bharat gets an inside edge which runs along to fine leg for a double. Lucky for Bharat that it didn’t clip the stumps. Couple more in the next two balls as well. Bharat switches strike and brings Maxwell into bat. And the Aussie, struggling with the heat, looks to cut over point but gets a top edge over Pant for a four. 12 runs from it

Lucky runs for Maxwell. Didn’t intend this at all but he’d welcome a boundary. Top edged over the keeper for four more

After 17 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 134/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 61 , Glenn Maxwell 38)

The steady flow of runs continues. 15 from the Rabada over – six from Bharat and a four from Maxwell keeping RCB in contention to chase this target down. DC, meanwhile, have no answer for these two and their onslaught. RCB need 31 from 18 balls

MAXIMUM! Bharat’s third six of the night. Slower one by Rabada and Bharat reads it and launches into it. Pulled in front of square to deep mid-wicket

Maxwell uses the pace on the ball by Rabada and flicks it to fine leg. Lovely use of the wrist by the RCB batter

After 16 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 119/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 52 , Glenn Maxwell 32)

Ripal Patel concedes 12 runs from the over and the onslaught by these two continues. Maxwell with yet another boundary and more luck going his way. Reverse sweeps on the third ball, slices it and evades Nortje who was looking to get under it. RCB need 45 from 24 balls

Width on offer and punished by Maxwell. Slower ball by Ripal Patel, Maxwell reads it and smacks it into the vacant cover region.

FIFTY!

Srikar Bharat drives it to wide long on for a double and brings up his maiden IPL fifty from 37 balls

After 15 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 108/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 48 , Glenn Maxwell 26)

Woeful fielding display continues for DC. Prithvi Shaw fails to hold on to the ball and first ball of the Nortje over runs away for a four. He is not pleased and rightly so. On the last ball, Maxwell powers the ball to the midwicket boundary for yet another boundary. 11 runs from the over and it is the fifty stand for Maxwell and Bharat

Maxwell clears his leg and powers this through midwicket for four more. It brings up the fifty run partnership from 34 balls

WHAT IN THE WORLD! Prithvi Shaw the guilty party to let the ball get away from him and the ball runs away for a boundary towards fine leg. This is just horrible, horrible fielding. Camera captures the difference in reactions in both camps. DC full of despair and frustration. RCB, meanwhile, jubilant as balls get away and fours keep piling up

After 14 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 96/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 45 , Glenn Maxwell 17)

What a dramatic over. Two reverse sweeps by Maxwell go for fours – one towards third man and another towards extra cover. And twice dropped. Once by Shreyas Iyer and another by Ashwin. You can see the frustration in Axar’s face as the ball gets out of Ashwin’s grasp. Iyer a difficult chance but Ashwin a safer opportunity. 11 runs from the over and two drops!

FOUR MORE! Another reverse sweep, this one is flat batted, and that’s another boundary for Maxwell and in RCB’s tally

Everything happening here! Maxwell reverse sweeps it towards third man for a four

Very clever batting from Bharat. Opens the face of the blade and steers the ball down to third man for a boundary.

After 12 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 75/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 37 , Glenn Maxwell 4)

Axar concedes 9 runs with Bharat piling on another six. Bharat looking to be in good touch now and RCB would need him to stay in the middle to take them closer to the target. 90 needed from 48 balls

Very good use of the feet by Bharat. He comes down the track, gets under the ball and sends it straight down the ground for a maximum.

MI miss out on playoffs

SRH have gone past the 65-run mark and that means Mumbai Indians will not make the playoffs.

Qualifier 1: DC vs CSK (Sunday)

Eliminator: RCB vs KKR (Monday)

Qualifier 2: Loser Qualifier 1 vs Winner Eliminator (Wednesday)

Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2 (Friday)

After 10 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 61/3 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 27 , Glenn Maxwell 1)

After the strategic timeout, Axar Patel gets DC the breakthrough to end the 49-run stand. AB de Villiers falls for a well-played 26 and he looked on course for much more. Maxwell is the new man to partner Bharat. 7 runs from the over

Srikar Bharat maintains the flow of runs on the next ball. Sends the ball through deep extra cover for a boundary. Maxwell is the new man in at the other end

OUT!

Immediately after the strategic timeout, DC have the breakthrough. AB de Villiers is hurried into the shot by Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer completes the catch. End of the 49-run partnership. Short, skids through towards the leg stump and the swivel is straight into Iyer’s hands

AB de Villiers c Iyer b Axar 26 (26), RCB 55/3

After 9 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 54/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 21 , AB de Villiers 26)

Smart first over by Ripal Patel. He mixes the pace on the deliveries around for three dots from five balls. Errs in his line on the final delivery and is rightfully smacked for a four. ABD stands and sends it straight down the ground for a four. 6 from the over.

Smashed! One bounce into the fence for a four. AB de Villiers connects well with the pitched up delivery and sends it straight down the ground

After 8 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 48/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 20 , AB de Villiers 21)

Ashwin goes for 11 runs and RCB move along to 48/2. AB de Villiers getting into the groove by the look of things. A four in the previous over and now a 95m six well over long-on from a flighted Ashwin delivery

WHAT. A. SHOT. HUGE! MASSIVE! Flighted up by Ashwin, AB de Villiers gets to the pitch of the ball and smacks it 95 metres. NINETY FIVE METRES! Well over long-on boundary.

FOUR! Ab de Villiers gets four to his tally. Short, leg-cutter, and ABD swats it through mid-wicket for a boundary

After 6 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 29/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 16 , AB de Villiers 6)

Avesh Khan goes for just 2 runs once again. Singles each for ABD and Bharat. Really good seam bowling by Avesh to keep ABD guessing and a slower one on the final ball a good sign of confidence for the bowler. After the powerplay overs, RCB are 29/2

After 5 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 27/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 15 , AB de Villiers 5)

Kagiso Rabada into the attack and the RCB batters move the ball around the park collecting singles. On the last ball, Bharat plays at a delivery outside off on the up and is beaten. 4 runs from the over

After 4 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 23/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 13 , AB de Villiers 3)

Axar Patel into the bowling attack and immediately gets taken apart by Srikar Bharat. A six straight down the ground is followed by a well placed four from a sweep. RCB need more such overs to alleviate the pressure on themselves

After the brutal six, now a comfortable four. Makes the most of the pace on the ball and sweeps it wide of short fine leg

SIX! Srikar Bharat smacks RCB’s 75th six of the tournament. Comes down the track to Axar Patel and plays it on the spin to send it for a 85m six

After 3 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 11/2 ( Srikar Bharat (W) 2 , AB de Villiers 2)

Anrich Nortje removes the second RCB opener and it is the big wicket in Virat Kohli. Poor shot from the RCB skipper, gets a leading edge and it is taken at mid-on. He walks back after just 4 runs. RCB in a spot of bother. Srikar Bharat and AB de Villiers hope to steady the ship now

OUT!

Nortje strikes and he has his second wicket. Now it is the big fish in the form of Virat Kohli. Poor shot from Kohli, he’s early into the shot and the leading edge is taken at mid-on by Rabada

Kohli c Rabada b Nortje 4 (8), RCB 6/2

After 2 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 6/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 4 , Srikar Bharat (W) 0)

Avesh Khan into the attack. First ball and huge appeal for leg before on Kohli. Pant decides against reviewing and that’s a wise call. It was going down leg stump. Just the 2 runs from the over

After 1 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 4/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 3 , Srikar Bharat (W) 0)

Padikkal and Kohli open for RCB and the former departs in the very first over. Nortje goes for 4 runs and picks the wicket of the left-hander. Poor shot from Padikkal and that’s not the start Bangalore would have wanted. Nortje, meanwhile, proving decisive early on

OUT!

Brilliant start for DC and Nortje. Golden duck for Paddikal. Short ball and ramped it straight to Ashwin at third man. Catching practice that.

Padikkal c Ashwin b Nortje 0 (1), RCB 3/1

RCB need 165 to win

Delhi Capitals hand Royal Challengers Bangalore a 165 run target. After the start by Shaw, Dhawan, DC would have expected something bigger. RCB rewarded by consistently chipping away with wickets. Just 36 runs from last 30 balls for Delhi

After 20 overs,Delhi Capitals 164/5 ( Ripal Patel 7 , )

Siraj to bowl the final over. Has a long chat with Kohli and Maxwell before getting underway. What’s the plan to deal with Hetmyer? First ball, yorker. Dot. Second ball, full and Hetmyer drills it down the ground towards long on. Nearly takes out Siraj in the process. Third ball, Ripal gets it wide of Christian at long on for a boundary. On the final ball, Hetmyer is unable to make the full toss count and is caught by Kohli at deep mid-wicket instead. Hetmyer falls for 29

OUT!

Full toss, Hetmyer goes after it but doesn’t have the timing on it. Or the distance. Virat Kohli with a little jog across to complete the catch. This one is not over the waist height

Hetmyer c Kohli b Siraj 29 (22), DC 164/5

A semi-helicopter shot from Ripal earns hima  four. Moves his foot outside the stumps and goes up and over for a boundary

After 19 overs,Delhi Capitals 158/4 ( Shimron Hetmyer 28 , Ripal Patel 2)

10 runs from the final Harshal Patel over. He finishes with 1/34 after enduring yet another mighty hit from Hetmyer. Hit with utter disdain by the DC left-hander for a six on the third ball. Patel comes back and finishes the quota off with two well-disguised slower ones that almost get Ripal Patel not once but twice

Baffling call!

Third-umpire has let technology down again. How’s that not a no-ball to Hetmeyer? Chest high. #RCBvDC #IPL2021

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 8, 2021

SIX! Hetmyer’s ninth six of the season and that is a huge blow! Goes 83 metres and Harshal Patel can only see the ball go the distance. Hetmyer walks down, converts into a slot ball and launches it towards wide long-on.

After 18 overs,Delhi Capitals 148/4 ( Shimron Hetmyer 21 , Ripal Patel 1)

7 runs from the Siraj over. He gets rid of Shreyas Iyer who could have added to the eventual total. But only finds Christian at long on while looking to clear the field on a low full toss. On the final delivery, Hetmyer plays a high full toss behind point for a four. Umpires have a check, seemingly go upstairs but the decision is that that’s not a no ball. Strange decision

Is that a high full toss for a no ball? The umpires should have a look. Hetmyer deflects the Siraj delivery for a four. A misfield on the boundary helps the ball along to the advertising hoarding. Surprisingly, not a no ball.

OUT!

Shreyas Iyer looks to go down the ground to Mohammed Siraj but doesn’t get the power or height on it to clear long on. Low full toss is there for the taking and Iyer attacks but doesn’t get the right contact. Christian completes the catch

Iyer c Christian b Siraj 18 (18), DC 143/4

After 17 overs,Delhi Capitals 141/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 17 , Shimron Hetmyer 17)

DC’s scoring rate has come down a notch from earlier. Garton goes for 5 runs and now 8 from Harshal Patel’s over. RCB’s fielding effort has improved significantly to cut down on cheap boundaries

After 15 overs,Delhi Capitals 128/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 9 , Shimron Hetmyer 13)

Big over for Delhi Capitals. Hetmyer goes into counter-attacking mode and collects a six and a four at Dan Christian’s expense. Brute force him Shimron to go after Christian. Iyer also joins in on the party with superb placement. 16 runs coming from it

Shreyas Iyer adds to his tally now. Half pull, half punch from him. Plenty of bottom hand on it and that was well struck. Maxwell is unable to cut it off and seemed to have hurt himself while trying to save the four

MAXIMUM! SIX! This one is struck better and goes 89 metres for a six. Hetmyer punches it back over the bowler’s head. Lofted over the sightscreen in a meaty shot

Shimron Hetmyer stands up and smashes it down the ground. Gets the bottom half of the bottom and still has enough legs on it to go away for a four

After 14 overs,Delhi Capitals 112/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 4 , Shimron Hetmyer 2)

Yuzvendra Chahal into his final over. Second ball, Shimron Hetmyer is nearly run out. Appeal for leg before first, Iyer runs at the striker’s end with Hetmyer slow to react. Siraj at short third man with an attempt at direct hit but he misses. Had Chahal been packing up, it would have been curtains. 4 runs from the over and Chahal finishes with 1/34

After 13 overs,Delhi Capitals 108/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 2 , Shimron Hetmyer 0)

Dan Christian introduced in the 13th over. Third ball, Pant directs the ball towards the vacant square leg region for a couple. Brilliant fielding by Harshal Patel to save two runs. On the fourth ball, Pant falls! Christian gets the DC skipper cheaply by cramping the leftie for room. 3 runs from the over and a big wicket to boot

OUT!

Dan Christian is into the attack and he immediately reaps benefits for his captain. Pant looks to cut it away but not enough room for that shot, it keeps climbing and edges it behind to Srikar Bharat.

Pant c Bharat b Christian 10 (8), DC 108/3

After 12 overs,Delhi Capitals 105/2 ( Rishabh Pant (C) (W) 8 , Shreyas Iyer 1)

Yuzvendra Chahal gets his third over underway by being thrashed away for a six. He gets his revenge on the next ball as Prithvi Shaw falls for 48. He slices it up and Garton takes the catch on the second attempt. 10 runs come from the over. Shreyas Iyer is the new batter in

OUT!

And next ball he’s gone! Prithvi Shaw looks for more big runs but doesn’t get the timing right. George Garton takes the catch at sweeper cover on second juggle. He tells the umpire he’s taken it but the officials opt to refer with the third umpire. And the word from upstairs is that it is indeed taken cleanly.

Shaw c Garton b Chahal 48 (31), DC 101/2

HUGE SIX FROM PRITVHI SHAW! 52nd six of the season for DC and this is a biggie. Tossed up, Shaw goes down and whacks the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket

After 11 overs,Delhi Capitals 95/1 ( Prithvi Shaw 42 , Rishabh Pant (C) (W) 5)

Harshal Patel gets the breakthrough and stops the DC opening pair at 88 runs. Slower one from Patel outfoxes Dhawan who skies it and has to walk back after scoring 43 runs. That marks as the 31st wicket of IPL 2021 for Harshal Patel – he is one short of the all-time record set by Bravo. Rishabh Pant is the new man in and he immediately gets into the act with a sweetly struck boundary. 7 from the over and 1 wicket from it

Rishabh Pant is the new man in and he is off the mark with a four. Pitched up, maybe a slower one, but the leftie stands up to it and sent through to extra cover

OUT!

Harshal Patel with a slower delivery, Shikhar Dhawan is into the shot without reading the alteration in pace and the ball goes in the air. Dan Christian gets under it and takes it comfortable at long off. Wicket number 31 for Harshal Patel and he’s one shy of the all-time record by Dwayne Bravo.

Dhawan c Christain b Patel 43 (35), DC 88/1

After 10 overs,Delhi Capitals 88/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 40 , Shikhar Dhawan 43)

11 runs from the Yuzvendra Chahal over. Rishabh Pant had been looking to attack him from the word go, got a boundary in the last over and gets a six now.

Pant gets to the pitch of the ball from Chahal and launches into it for a six. Clubs it over long-off for his first maximum of the night

After 9 overs,Delhi Capitals 77/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 33 , Shikhar Dhawan 39)

Harshal Patel into the attack now. Second ball he almost gets Dhawan caught behind. Outside off, Dhawan plays at it but is beaten by the pace and bounce. Dhawan roars back in convincing fashion on the fifth ball. Walks across the stumps and times it beautifully over square leg for a six. 9 runs from the over

Aimed towards the short boundary and Shikhar collects six more! Steps across to the off stump, waits for the ball to come to him and swings it over square leg

After 8 overs,Delhi Capitals 68/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 32 , Shikhar Dhawan 31)

Yuzvendra Chahal in to bowl. Second ball, Prithvi Shaw swings it away towards deep mid-wicket looking for a big hit but it is cut across in the deep. Shaw finally gets the timing right on the last ball of the over as he slaps it over extra cover for a four. 9 runs coming from it.

Plenty of flight by Chahal, outside off and Pant reaches out to send it over extra cover for a boundary.

After 7 overs,Delhi Capitals 59/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 26 , Shikhar Dhawan 29)

An economical over from Siraj. Just the four coming from it in the first over after the powerplay. Both batters collecting singles each

MILESTONE

Shikhar Dhawan now has 2000-plus runs for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL

After 6 overs,Delhi Capitals 55/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 24 , Shikhar Dhawan 27)

10 runs from the Garton over and a good powerplay for DC who collect 55/0 from it. Boundaries for both Shaw and Dhawan in that sixth over

Four more for Delhi and it is a misfield by Harshal Patel. Full and on the pads for Dhawan, the leftie plays it down to short fine leg. Patel gets down to it but the ball sneaks through for a great end to the powerplay overs

FOUR MORE! George Garton with a fuller length ball outside off, Shaw punches, not the greatest of timing but good enough to see the ball run away to the boundary. Finds the gap through extra cover

He’s not wrong, is he?

Cricket fans right now: #SRHvMI #RCBvDC #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/iE5L0pSyJO

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) October 8, 2021

After 5 overs,Delhi Capitals 45/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 20 , Shikhar Dhawan 22)

14 runs from the third Maxwell over. Dhawan sweeping him for a six and Shaw punching the ball for a four. Good batting from the DC opening pair so far

That was sweetly struck. Prithvi Shaw comes down the track, checks his shot to the short ball and punches it through deep extra cover for a gorgeous boundary

CRACKING SIX! Maxwell comes round the wicket to Dhawan, and the left-hander goes down on one knee and almost directs it to the short boundary for a 69m six. Sweeps it over deep backward square for a maximum

After 4 overs,Delhi Capitals 31/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 13 , Shikhar Dhawan 15)

George Garton replaces Mohammed Siraj. Second ball is a beamer to Dhawan and the bowler apologises immediately. Dhawan accepts with a smile. On the free hit, a single for DC. Huge chants of “RCB! RCB! RCB!” ring around the stadium in Dubai. Shaw timing the ball beautifully but unable to reap boundaries from it. 6 runs from the over

After 3 overs,Delhi Capitals 25/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 10 , Shikhar Dhawan 13)

5 runs from the second Maxwell over. Singles aplenty for both DC batters. Not the carnage here that one can witness in the SRH vs MI game where Ishan Kishan is off the blocks quickly

After 2 overs,Delhi Capitals 20/0 ( Prithvi Shaw 8 , Shikhar Dhawan 11)

Good start for DC. They get boundaries in both Maxwell and Siraj overs. Dhawan has survived a close run out – a needless run that could have been avoided. Siraj getting the ball to move around beautifully once to beat Shikhar but errant line allows boundaries to flow.

On the leg stump, Dhawan plays it off his pads to deep mid-wicket. Poor delivery and easy pickings for Shikhar Dhawan there

Mohammed Siraj comes on from the other end. Outside off, lots of width to attack and does so beautifully. Sends it cruising through point

First boundary of the night comes from Shikhar Dhawan’s bat. Pitched up by Maxwell, width on offer and Dhawan relaxes his arms. Finds the gap through extra cover

Delhi batters take guard

Prithvi Shaw takes strike. Shikhar Dhawan at the other end. Virat Kohli leads the team talk in the huddle. Glenn Maxwell has the ball. And to make it clear, RCB’s decision to bowl means they can’t finish in the top-two

Royal Challengers Bangalore XI

Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Daniel Christian, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, George Garton, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Delhi Capitals XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ripal Patel, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje

Pitch

Both captains assess the wicket to be “dry” and Kohli feels it’ll settle a little later in the game for the ball to come on to the bat better. Matthew Hayden and Anjum Chopra at the pitch report had made the same judgement. It is the same pitch as yesterday’s CSK vs PBKS.

Team news

RCB: No changes

DC: No changes either

TOSS

Virat Kohli has won the toss and RCB have decided to field in Dubai

Working our way towards toss in 10 minutes

Game face 🔛 for #RCBvDC 🐯🔵#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 @SofitelDXBPalm pic.twitter.com/w2skQJtJg2

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) October 8, 2021

Head-to-head

Bangalore and Delhi have met 25 times in IPL history. RCB have won 15 of those contests with DC winning the remaining 10. In the last five matches, DC have four while RCB won their most recent contest this season.

DC news

Delhi Capitals are assured of a top-two finish thanks to their consistent effort throughout the league stage of the season. They’ve earned 20 points from 13 matches and could well make it 22 thanks to their well oiled unit. Two issues persist for DC: Shreyas Iyer’s form and Marcus Stoinis’ fitness. In their most recent outing, DC collapsed from 71/2 to 99/6 while chasing 137 against CSK. They got there in the end with the help of Shimron Hetmyer’s heroics.

RCB news

Royal Challengers Bangalore were on the cusp of a top-two finish. But then they ran into eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad who somehow defended a 141 run total with RCB left 4 runs short. That meant RCB will play the Eliminator and will have to go through a second qualifier to make the final. So the DC fixture offers an opportunity to do their homework and get their house in order before two must-win games

Also in the IPL

The other contest on the day, to be played at the same time, will see Sunrisers Hyderabad face Mumbai Indians where MI are still within mathematical shot of making the playoffs. But that is a HUGE mathematical shot.

RCB vs DC

In small formats and at late junctures in a tournament, small moments matter. Confidence plays a big role. Momentum is crucial. And that is all that will be on the line for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals in Dubai in Match 56 of the 2021 IPL.