Dubai: Marcus Stoinis (53 n o, 26b, 6×4, 2×6) and Rishabh Pant (37, 25b, 3×4, 2×6) came to the party to rescue Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL-13 game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) here Monday. Winning the toss Virat Kohli had put DC in and his move seemed to have paid off with the score reading 90 for three in the 12th over. However, it was then the turn for Marcus Stoinis and Rishabh Pant to work their magic. They added 89 runs in just a shade less than seven overs to take DC to a fighting total to take DC to 196 for four in 20 overs.
Stoinis and Pant both have explosive power and they put the RCB bowlers to sword hitting them to all parts of the ground. Pacer Navdeep Saina was the worst to suffer as he went for 48 runs in his three overs. Stoinis was particularly strong on the leg-side and down the ground. Pant on the other hand played some flashing drives. He finally fell to pacer Mohammed Siraj, bowled as he went for a slog.
Prior to that Siraj had broken the opening stand of 68 runs between Prithvi Shaw (42, 23b, 5×4, 2×6) and Shikhar Dhawan (32, 28b, 3×4). Siraj got the wicket of Prithvi who trying to hook gloved the ball to AB de Villiers behind the stumps. For once DC skipper Shreyas Iyer (11) failed, but then Stoinis and Pant took charge.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 196 for 4 (Marcus Stoinis 53 n o, Prithvi Shaw 42, Rishabh Pant 37, Mohammed Siraj 2/34) vs RCB. Match to continue).