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Delhi Capitals earned a hard-fought 20 run win over the Rajasthan Royals to stay alive in the IPL play-offs race as DC bowlers Kuldeep Yadav and Mukesh Kumar played a key role in sealing victory in the must-win contest in Delhi on Tuesday, May 7 2024.
While Jake Fraser-McGurk (50) and Abhishek Porel (65) exhibited their range of power-hitting that took DC to a challenging 221 for 8, Rajasthan spinner Ravichandran Ashwin broke partnerships.
R Ashwin
While Jake Fraser-McGurk was sending the ball into orbit with DC's score at 59-0 after 4 overs, Rajasthan needed to stem the flow.
Captain Sanju Samson brought on the experienced Ashwin into the attack and he delivered in no time.
Ashwin bowled a full toss, Fraser-McGurk tried to hit it over the infield but only managed to play straight into the hands of cover.
Four overs later, he was brought back into the attack and came good again. Just when Abhishek Porel and Axar Patel were cementing a partnership, Ashwin struck.
Ashwin gave the ball some flight, Axar decided to flat bat it for a big one, only to hit it straight to long off.
Ashwin got his third scalp in Porel who sliced the ball to backward point.
Not only did Ashwin take three wickets, he also kept the runs in check. While his fellow bowlers leaked runs, he bowled a tight spell -- 3 for 24 off 4 -- to strangle the DC batters.
Kuldeep Yadav
The left-arm wrist spinner was brought into the attack after the Powerplay and he gave 11 runs off his first two overs -- he was smashed for a six by Riyan Parag in his 2nd.
He came back to bowl the 10th over and was smacked for a six by Sanju Samson to bring up his 50.
With Samson and the big hitting Shubham Dubey back in the hut, Rajasthan needed 41 off 18 balls as Kuldeep came on to bowl the 18th.
He hit jackpot off the first ball when he had Donovan Ferreira out LBW after winning a review.
Kuldeep had Ashwin then mistime a shot. The fielder pocketed a simple catch in the deep to have him out for 2 and Rajasthan staring at defeat.
Kuldeep's 2 for 25 changed the complexion of the game.
Mukesh Kumar
The medium pacer was smothered for 15 runs in his first over with Samson and Jos Buttler going after him.
DC Captain Rishabh Pant brought him back into the attack in the 16th over when Samson was going strong.
Mukesh turned the match in DC's favour when Samson was controversially given out by the third umpire.
Mukesh was called up to defend 29 runs off the last over and he did it in style. DC were allowed only five men outside the circle in the final over after being penalised for a slow over rate.
After giving just one run off the first ball, he got his second wicket off the next.
Mukesh had the big-hitting Rovman Powell bowled with a yorker. That stalled RR's chase and DC won by 20 runs.
In IPL 2024, Mukesh has now taken 15 wickets in 8 games at an average of 21 and strike rate of 11.40.
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