DC vs RR: 3 closest encounters

Two young IPL teams with contrasting fortunes will face off in match #23 of the Dream 11 IPL. The tournament is reaching the midway stage, and both the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be keen to get two crucial points from the match.

🔵 MATCHDAY 🔴🔹Short Boundaries🔹Power-Hitters🔹Clinical Pacers🔹We're in for a guaranteed thriller in Sharjah ✅#RRvDC #Dream11IPL #IPL2020 #YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/jrK7Jfy7ZC

— Delhi Capitals (Tweeting from 🇦🇪) (@DelhiCapitals) October 9, 2020

The Rajasthan Royals have a slight edge when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams. Both sides have met twenty times in IPL history, with the Jaipur franchise being the victors on eleven occasions and the Delhi Capitals (DC) winning nine games.

Ready to put everything on the line. 🔥#HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/EgXqmt8yJ3

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 8, 2020

Before both teams resume their rivalry in a run-fest at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, we look back at three of their most thrilling encounters from previous editions of the IPL.

3) Match #4, IPL 2013: RR bt. DC by 5-runs

[Pc: IPLT20.com]

Final Scores:

• RR: 165/7 (20 overs)
• DC: 160/6 (20 overs)

The early days of the 2013 IPL season saw a cracker of a contest between RR and DC.

RR opted to bat first and rode on captain Rahul Dravid's 65 (51) to post a total of 165/7. Stuart Binny's 40 (20) provided the finishing touches of the innings to help RR post a challenging total. Umesh Yadav was the pick of the DC bowlers with a 4-wicket haul.

DC's David Warner (77 from 56) threatened to single-handedly win them the game, but his run-out in the 19th over when DC needed just 13 runs from 10 balls triggered a collapse. DC managed to score just seven runs and lose two more wickets to ultimately fall short by five runs.

2) Match #6, IPL 2015: RR bt. DC by 3-wickets

A measured knock[Pc: IPLT20.com]

Final scores:

• DC: 184/3 (20 overs)
• RR: 186/7 (20 overs)

Each of DC's top five batters contributed to help DC post a strong total. The team's highest scorer was captain JP Duminy, who scored 44* (38), but would have regretted that he didn't score at a higher rate.

During RR's innings, the team was reeling at 63/2 at the end of the ninth over. Imran Tahir (28/4 in his four overs) constantly pegged RR back with wickets to keep DC in control. Deepak Hooda's whirlwind innings of 54 (25) swung the game back in RR's favour.

With 17 runs required from the last two overs, Imran Tahir took the ball to concede just seven runs and accounted for two wickets in the 19th over. RR needed a tricky 12 runs from the final over bowled by Tim Southee.

Needing three to win from the last delivery, Angelo Mathews smashed the ball into the cover boundary to hand RR the victory by the skin of their teeth.

1) Match #39, IPL 2012: DC bt. RR by one run

An extraordinary knock in vain[Pc: IPLT20.com]

Final score:

• DC: 152/6 (20 overs)
• RRL 151/3 (20 overs)

In a thrilling encounter in IPL 2012, RR fell short of a victory by just one run.

DC Captain Virender Sehwag smashed 63 (39) but did not garner much support from the other end. When DC's innings folded up for 152/6, it certainly felt like they were 15 to 20 runs short of where they would have liked to be.

In response, RR was in a chase that was well under their control. The opening partnership between Ajinkya Rahane (84* from 63) and Rahul Dravid (40 from 38) yielded 99 runs from 13.5 overs.

With 15 runs needed from the last two overs and nine wickets in hand, RR was cruising towards a victory. However, Morne Morkel bowled a splendid 19th over, which saw just three runs and a wicket.

In the final over bowled by Umesh Yadav, RR needed 12 runs for victory. Rahane was still at the crease and lofted a six off the fourth delivery, which left RR needing 4 runs from the final two deliveries. Rahane took a double on the fifth ball and RR had to get 2 runs from the last ball.

Rahane failed to make contact on the final delivery and attempted a single which resulted in a run-out and DC clinched a narrow victory by a single run.