Picture : BCCI
Experienced Ishant Sharma bowled a superb final over for the Delhi Capitals by successfully defending 12 runs and conceded only 6 runs as they stunned defending Champions Gujarat Titans by 5 runs in a Tata IPL 2023 encounter in Ahmedabad.
Earlier, DC riding on Aman Khan’s maiden T20 fifty posted a modest total . For GT Mohammed Shami (4/11 in four overs) was lethal with the new ball as he knocked the wind out of the Capitals’ top order, as Gujarat Titans restricted DC to 130 for eight after being asked to bowl.
Aman (51 off 44) waged a lone battle, putting some much-need runs on the board. He added 50 off 54 balls with Axar Patel (27) and 53 off 27 balls with Ripal Patel (23).
In reply, GT Skipper Hardik Pandya’s (59 off 53) sedate fifty and Rahul Tewatia’s (20) hattrick of sixes were not enough as Delhi bowlers held their nerves to stop the defending champions at 125 for 6. Hardik was left stranded as he saw his side lose a dramatic close contest . A match which should have won .
Defending a modest target, Delhi quicks were able to make an early breakthrough, as Gujarat lost three wickets inside the powerplay.
If ‘Impact Player’ Khaleel Ahmed (2/24) bowled a beautiful first over which was a wicket-maiden, pace spearhead Anrich Nortje (1/39) got rid of the dangerous Shubman Gill (6).
Ishant Sharma (2/23) too joined the party as he outfoxed Vijay Shankar (6) with a perfectly executed knuckle ball.
Wickets continued to tumble with the introduction of the slow bowlers, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (1/15) bamboozled David Miller (0) in the seventh over.
Pandya and Abhinav Manohar (26) steadied the Gujarat ship with 62-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Pandya anchored the innings with Tewatia hitting three back-to-back sixes off the penultimate over. But with 12 needed off the final over, Ishant gave away just six runs while taking the vital wicket of Tewatia to swing the match DC way .
DC Skipper David Warner’s animated celebration after the win showed how much the win mattered for the side .
It was the third win of the season for Delhi, who continue to remain at the bottom of the table, while Gujarat continued to remain on the top spot.
DC Impact Player: Khaleel Ahmed replaces Priyam Garg
GT Impact Player: Shubman Gill replaces Mohit Sharma
Match: IPL 2023, 44th Match
Venue: Ahmedabad | Date: May 02, 2023
