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In the seventh match of IPL 2021, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take on the confident Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai tonight (April 15).
RR endured a heartbreak against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their tournament opener. Despite a spectacular hundred from captain Sanju Samson, RR went down by four runs in a high-scoring thriller. DC, meanwhile, put up an all-round show to get the better of an unsettled Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday.
Both RR and DC have flattered to deceive in the IPL. In recent years, though, Delhi’s stock has been on the rise, as they reached the final last year.
There is nothing to choose between the two teams in terms of their head-to-head record, as both RR and DC have won 11 games apiece. Ahead of their latest clash in Mumbai tonight, let’s look back at three of the best batting efforts in RR vs DC contests over the years.
#3 Virender Sehwag (DC) 75 off 34 - IPL 2010 (in Ahmedabad)
The IPL was tailor-made for swashbuckling batsmen like Virender Sehwag, and the Nawab of Najafgarh enjoyed playing in the T20 league. His numbers are testimony to the fact that he tasted a lot of success as well - 2728 runs in 104 matches at a strike rate of 155.44 with two hundreds and 16 fifties.
One of his many blistering knocks in the competition came in an IPL 2010 game against Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad.
With DC (then called Delhi Daredevils) asked to chase down a 142-run target, Sehwag made the result a foregone conclusion by blazing his way to 75 off just 34 balls. He slammed eight fours and five sixes in his innings, with no RR bowler able to make an impact on him.
DC lost Gautam Gambhir (9), Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) and AB de Villiers (15) cheaply, but Sehwag sent the RR bowlers on a leather hunt. After the right-hander's dismissal, Dinesh Karthik (23 not out) guided the team home.
For RR, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala hit an unbeaten 53 off 46. But he did not find any support, and RR were restricted to 141 for 6, batting first. After that, the Sehwag show ensued.
#2 Rishabh Pant (DC) 78 not out off 36 - IPL 2019 (in Jaipur)
Even before his recent batting exploits against Australia and England, Rishabh Pant was known as a gifted batsman. However, he neither possessed the consistency nor displayed the desired temperament.
On his day, though, he did come up with spectacular efforts even when he was not the Pant of today. One such brilliant knock came against RR in Jaipur in IPL 2019.
DC were asked to chase a highly challenging 192 to win the contest. Prithvi Shaw (42 off 39) and Shikhar Dhawan (54 off 27) got the team off to an impressive start, adding 72 for the opening wicket in 7.3 overs. However, they still needed someone to finish off the game with a brutal batting effort.
Rishabh Pant did the needful by smashing a stroke-filled 78 not out off only 36 balls. He spanked six fours and four sixes during his innings, helping DC ace a difficult chase in the last over by six wickets. Pant’s brilliance meant Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 105 for RR earlier in the day went in vain.
#1 Ajinkya Rahane (RR) 91 not out off 54 - IPL 2015 (in Mumbai)
While his hundred for RR in IPL 2019 was in vain, a few years earlier, Ajinkya Rahane played an excellent knock against the same opponent, this time in a winning cause.
Rahane has often been criticised for his strike rate in the T20 format. But it is also a fact that has played some wonderful match-winning knocks in the IPL over the years.
In a match against DC in the 2015 edition of the competition, Rahane dazzled his way to 91 not out off 54 balls at the Brabourne Stadium in his home town of Mumbai. After DC inserted RR to bat first, Rahane was at his sublime best right from the start.
Opening the innings, he hit nine fours and three sixes en route to his unbeaten 91-run knock. DC bowlers were meted out some brutal punishment, as Amit Mishra went for 41 in his four overs, Gurinder Sandhu for 49 and Nathan Coulter-Nile for 38.
Rahane found able support from Karun Nair, who contributed 61 runs off 38 balls. RR put up 189 for 2 before restricting DC to 175 for 7.
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