Delhi Capitals win Super Over thriller
Axar Patel gave away just seven runs in the tie-breaker, Delhi reached the eight-run target off the last ball.
The pitches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai have put the best to test this IPL. It has carried on its nature of being sluggish from previous editions. Stroke-making isn’t the most natural course of action here, resulting in low-scoring encounters. It was hard to tell that though on Sunday, with the blazing start provided by Delhi Capitals’ Prithvi Shaw against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Khaleel Ahmed was at the receiving end. The first ball of the innings was drilled by Shaw through covers, the second was misfielded by Rashid Khan at backward square leg boundary and the third pierced through. That hat-trick of fours meant Delhi ended the first over with 12/0–the costliest first over this edition. Shaw would end on 53 (39b) and was the force behind Delhi putting up a fighting total of 159/4 in 20 overs. Then Kane Williamson’s brilliant 51-ball 66* helped SRH take the match to the Super Over.
After Axar Patel gave away just seven runs in the tie-breaker, Delhi reached the eight-run target off the last ball.
Shaw has looked a different batsman since getting dropped from the Indian team after a poor outing in Adelaide. After a course correction in his batting technique, the opener ruled the Vijay Hazare Trophy and started the IPL with a bang–a 38-ball 72 against Chennai Super Kings. He faltered in the next three matches but regained composure against Hyderabad. He looked in total control against the spinners too, judging the length early and continue with his big hits. His fellow in-form opener Shikhar Dhawan looked pale in front of Shaw’s pugnacious approach as he brought up his half-century off 35 balls. It meant Delhi’s opening stand read 80 in 10 overs.
It was broken in the 11th over as Rashid Khan foxed Dhawan with his turn. Next over, Shaw too departed run out after a mix-up with captain Rishabh Pant. Delhi was in the danger of entering a lull with two set batsmen gone. But with Pant in the middle and Steve Smith for company, entertainment can rarely be on short supply. First Smith reverse lapped Vijay Shankar for a four in the 13th over and then Pant reverse-sweeped SRH’s most dangerous bowler Rashid Khan through point. They added 58 off 42 balls.
Not the most intimidating of totals but if there is one team who can bungle up a chase its SRH. After opener Jonny Bairstow (38, 18b) gave an encouraging start, No. 3 Kane Williamson looked to shepherd a fragile batting unit. Williamson had no option but to take calculated risks. He completed his half-century in 42 balls. SRH still needed 43 off the last 24 balls. However, Axar Patel dealt twin blows in the 17th over as he trapped Abhishek Sharma and Khan leg-before off back-to-back deliveries. But Williamson and Jagadeesha Suchith (15*, 6b) took the match to the Super Over.