Jaipur: KL Rahul gave Delhi Capitals a strong boost in their IPL playoff campaign as the visitors beat Rajasthan Royals by 226 runs by 7 wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Friday night, setting up a thrilling chase. For the second time in less than a week, Rajasthan failed to defend their 225-plus total at home. Six days after Sunrisers Hyderabad tied the match at 229 balls here, Delhi put up another relentless chase and ended up at 226/3 with 5 balls to spare.
On a surface that also offered little comfort to the bowlers, Rahul’s 75 off 40 balls kept Delhi in control and composed. Pathum Nissanka scored a 33-ball 62 while Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs finished with an unbeaten 49 after Rajasthan briefly threatened a late comeback.
Delhi started chasing a daunting 226 as if the target was just a number. Compact but explosive, Nissanka attacked the Royals bowlers from the start. He hit six fours and three sixes to complete a half-century off 23 balls and ensured Delhi ended the Powerplay with a crushing score of 70/0.
Rahul was initially content to play second fiddle, but later gradually transitioned. The opening pair added 110 runs in just 9.3 overs to break the chase before Rajasthan could formulate their defensive plan. Nissanka’s dismissal happened in the middle of the game. When he attempted a reverse sweep to Ravindra Jadeja, he was caught in front by a straighter delivery. But by then Delhi was well ahead of the asking price.
After 10 rounds, the Capitals firmly controlled the chase with a score of 113-1. Nitish Rana then kept the pace high with a brisk 33 off 17 balls, ensuring that Rajasthan could not make a comeback in the middle overs. Rana eventually fell while chasing Tushar Deshpande’s delivery and left Delhi trailing at 171/2 in the 15th over.
Delhi’s clinical chase overshadowed Royals skipper Ryan Parag’s thrilling captaincy innings earlier. Parag struggled in the match and was punished for vaping in the dressing room, and under pressure, Parag played the best innings of his IPL career. He came on at 12/2 in the second over and made 90 off 50 balls to take the score to 225/6 after Rajasthan elected to bat first.
The Royals’ start was disastrous. Yashasvi Jaiswal pushed Mitchell Starc over square leg for a six but the Australian left-arm pacer immediately countered by catching him and bowling him. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi started with a clear boundary but was bowled for four by Kyle Jamieson. From 12/2 onwards, Parag and Dhruv Jurel rebuilt the innings to provide a 102-run stand for the third wicket. Jurel’s 42 off 30 balls provided consistency while Parag mixed restraint with clean power. Parag reached his peak half-century off 32 deliveries.
However, Jaipur’s batting-friendly surface has the final say.
