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So that concludes another manic day's action in IPL 2023. Mid-week blues tomorrow? Nah, not with a double-header lined up. A 'Super' battle awaits at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow as the Lucknow Super Giants and the Chennai Super Kings look to return to winning ways. Following that is a clash between two teams looking to make it two wins on the bounce, as the Punjab Kings go up against the Mumbai Indians at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Do join us for our coverage of those two contests, as well as plenty more from the cricketing world right here on Sportskeeda. For the moment though, this is the duo of Shashwat Kumar and Sooryanarayanan Sesha thanking you for joining us today as we hope you enjoyed our coverage. See you again tomorrow - good night and take care!
Two days, two low totals defended on completely different surfaces. 10 defeats 1 on the points table - this is the Indian Premier League for you, ladies and gentlemen! You can never predict anything with surety - just about anything can unfold in this tournament like we continue to witness day after day. The Titans will be hurting from this defeat but they're still sitting pretty on top of the pile. The gap between them and the teams just below them isn't huge, but they will have to put this loss behind them and just look ahead. They can take a cue out of the Capitals' book - from losing the first five to winning three of the next four, they have certainly learnt how to let the bygones be bygones alright. They remain relevant in the tournament and continue to fight on!
It might have come in a losing cause but for his brilliant spell with the new ball, Mohammed Shami is the Player of the Match. Here's what he has to say: We always talk about bowling in good areas and a good line and length. The areas matter a lot. The ball was swinging considerably. I don't think it was as difficult a chase as it was in the first six overs. I think we needed one partnership which wasn't to be - we got one but it was too late.
David Warner (Delhi Capitals captain): Our bowlers were absoutely amazing. Our batters obviously struggled first up but credit to Shami for the way he bowled. Brilliant from Aman and Ripal - that was a fantastic finish. We're just finding ways to lose wickets. I don't know what's happening with our batting to be honest. We want to look into it. We had to come out, swing the ball and take wickets. Khaleel sitting on the sidelines was obviously disappointed to sit out. Ishant coming out and delivering that final over was amazing. We know he (Tewatia) always hits the ball nice and clean towards the back end. We know our best death bowler is Anrich and I tossed the ball to him. And Ishant was just clear with his plans on what to execute.
Here's the man of the moment, Ishant Sharma (Delhi Capitals): I was just practicing in the nets when I was bowling with the new ball. I was just practicing wide yorkers and was looking to bowl that. That's what coaches work on when you spend time in the nets. There are certain balls to be bowled to specific batters so it's just about backing yourself. I was just backing myself, believing in myself and bowling those wide yorkers. (On bowling to Tewatia) I think I've played enough cricket with him. I knew I had to double bluff him if not, he's the kind of batter who has been finishing games for Gujarat Titans. So I had to double bluff him. (What was said after they got just 130?) It is what it is - we did not think about what kind of target we had on the board. It was just about bowling the ball and sticking to the plan we had for the batters. (On this being a crucial win) From here on, we'll just carry the momentum forward and win one game at a time and hope for the best.
Hardik Pandya, Gujarat Titans captain: (On the last few overs) We would have taken 129 on any given day. Just lost a couple of wickets and in the end, Rahul got us back. I tried my best in the end but it was not to be. (Chat with Manohar) We were hoping to get a couple of big overs in the middle. At that point of time, we could not get rhythm as well. It was new for him as well and it boils down to how I could not finish the game. Full marks to them and full ownership from my side because I could not finish it. (On the pitch) The wicket was good enough. It was more about the wicket-pressure. It was a little slower than what we are used to. They bowled really well, we lost a couple of wickets. We could not get rhythm in the middle. Rahul got us back, otherwise, they were quite ahead. (Powerplay approach) We planned to have intent but if you keep losing wickets, it is difficult. (On Shami) I feel sorry for him, to be honest. To bowl like that, restrict a team to 129 and still not win. The ball did not do a lot and it was his skill-set that got him the wickets. Batters and particularly myself did not finish and we disappointed him (Shami). Lots of games left, we will take the learnings from this game and rectify what we could have done different. These things keep happening in the IPL - that is the beauty of it. We are still top of the table but we still need to play good cricket.
Match Summary: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Titans by 5 runs.
Aman Hakim Khan 51 (44) | Ishant Sharma 2/23 (4) Hardik Pandya 59 (53) | Mohammed Shami 4/11 (4)
131 is a target that most teams would fancy chasing on pretty much any surface unless it's a minefield. This one was far from it and the Gujarat Titans should have got the job done. But the spirit shown by the Delhi Capitals, coupled with outstanding execution with the ball, has seen them pull a remarkable victory out of the fire in one of the most stunning heists we've seen this tournament and in all IPL history. And speaking of IPL history, it's just the second time that the Gujarat Titans have lost a game chasing! Of course, that partnership between Aman Hakim Khan and Ripal Patel that set them up for some sort of a score to work with, after their top-order crumbled to the mastery of Mohammed Shami.
Khaleel Ahmed decided it was time for some of his own as he was persistent in beating Wriddhiman Saha's outside edge before getting him to nick off. In eerily similar fashion to Philip Salt's dismissal off a half-volley in the first innings, Shubman Gill perished and once Vijay Shankar was done in by a corker of an Ishant Sharma knucke ball, the Titans knew they had a challenge on hand. They weren't helped by David Miller's ordinary shot selection and that forced skipper Hardik Pandya to drop anchor after a flurry of boundaries first up.
He stitched together a long but hard-fought partnership with Abhinav Manohar, who just never looked in rhythm despite putting an Axar Patel half-tracker over the fence. The spinner were magnificent for the Capitals with Kuldeep Yadav joining Axar in ensuring that the Titans' asking rate crept up steadily. With the seamers doing their bit in equal amounts, not a single bowler missed a beat.
The odd punishable delivery was put away by Pandya, even as he continued to motor along. Abhinav just wasn't able to middle the ball though even as he tried swinging for the fences and as the game meandered towards the death overs, the asking rate shot up into double-digits. It was never coming down as it continued to rise exponentially, leaving GT with plenty to do at the death.
Khaleel nailed his yorkers and bowled to his field and while Nortje did the same for the first part of the penultimate over, he lost his radar completely thereafter. And if the man in front of you is a certain Rahul Tewatia, he is bound to make you pay. A hat-trick of sixes saw him flipped the game on its head as the Titans required 12 off the final over. Ishant might not have carved a reputation for being a bona fide death overs exponent, but he bowled brilliantly and showed outstanding nerve to deny the hosts with the wicket of Tewatia proving to be the killer blow as the Capitals completed a terrific comeback that will be spoken about for a long, long time. Stick around for the presentation...
Cast these men in a reboot of Prison Break, because that's what Delhi Capitals have pulled off. They have gotten out of jail in one of the most outrageous victories that seemed a far, far, far distance away. Oh my goodness, what is this tournament? What a match. Again!
20
overs
125/6score
2
1
0
W
2
1
runs
Rashid Khan*
3(2)
Hardik Pandya
59(53)
Ishant Sharma
2/23
19.6 Ishant Sharma to Rashid Khan, DC WIN! WHAT A GAME THIS HAS BEEN! DC ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN IT! Full toss outside off stump and Rashid gives it everything he has. Like many before him, though, he only manages a slice that clears short third man. GT get across for a single but that was never going to be enough! DC, after being five down in the powerplay, win this match by 5 runs! Just let that sink in!
Fine leg and third man are up. Long on, long off, mid-wicket, extra cover, sweeper cover are all back. 7 needed off the last ball. 6 to tie...
MAGNIFICENT FROM RILEE ROSSOUW! He has slowed that down to ensure he has saved two runs for his side. Now, if Ishant doesn't bowl a wide or overstep, a six will tie this game and take us into the first Super Over of the season. Is today the day?
19.5 Ishant Sharma to Rashid Khan, what a stop! Slower delivery on a full length outside off stump. Rashid absolutely crunches it but Rossouw flies to his right at cover point and gets a hand to it, keeping GT down to just a couple of runs
9 needed off 2...
Rashid Khan, RHB, comes to the crease
ISHANT SHARMA! The ageless Ishant Sharma! Look at him roar! He has probably pulled it off here for the Delhi Capitals with a killer blow, that also keeps Pandya off strike. Oh my word we're in for something unbelievable here. Is that the game?
19.4 Ishant Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, ISHANT GETS TEWATIA! OH MY WORD! NEVER WRITE OFF EXPERIENCE! Back of a length delivery outside off stump and it seems that Tewatia was not expecting this sort of length. He tries to swipe it away but is awfully late on the stroke. Splices it straight to extra cover and DC are back in the driver's seat!
Rahul Tewatia c Rilee Rossouw b Ishant Sharma 20 (7b, 0x4, 3x6)
Inside the tramline comfortably. Precious dot for DC. 9 required off 3...
19.3 Ishant Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, full and wide outside off stump. Tewatia throws his hands at it but only grabs a handful of fresh air. But wait a minute. Just wait a minute....GT have reviewed this! Looks like it was inside the tramlines, no wide!
Tewatia back on strike. What does Ishant do though? Will he gamble with a short one? 9 required off 4...