Abu Dhabi: Powered by a brilliant knock by Shikhar Dhawan (78, 50b, 5×4, 2×6) and his 86-run opening wicket partnership with Marcus Stoinis (38, 27b, 5×4, 1×6) Delhi Capitals posted for the loss of wickets in the 2nd ‘Qualifier’ against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) here Sunday. It is a make-or-break game for both teams as the winners get the chance to the play the IPL-2020 final. Mumbai Indians (MI) have already sealed their spot in the summit clash.
Dhawan was at his fluent best after DC won the toss and decided to bat as he played some delightful shots square off the wicket on both sides. However, it was Stoinis who galvanised the scoring with some tremendous shots. It started in the third over with Stoinis getting two successive boundaries off pacer Sandeep Sharma. However, worst was to follow for SRH in Jason Holder’s next over.
Stoinis hammered the West Indian captain for 18 runs in the fourth over of the DC innings including a six over long-on. It followed after three back-to-back boundaries and the bowler did not have a clue to what was happening. It did not help matters because Holder in the previous over had grassed a catch from Stoinis. Tough chance, but a chance nevertheless.
Dhawan then also decided to get into the hitting mode. He targetted left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem. Dhawan used the slog sweep and the cut to great effect as the bowler went for 35 runs in his three overs. In the power play DC scored 65 without loss and then Dhawan reached his half century in 26 balls. Finally SRH skipper David Warner had to bring in Rashid Khan (1/26) and the Afghanistan leg-spinner responded by clean bowling Stoinis. It was a classical leg-spinner’s delivery with the ball spinning from the leg to hit the top of the off stump.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer (21, 20b) did not look his fluent self and fell to Holder holing out to Manish Pandey at long-off.
There was a period when SRH did not concede a boundary in 17 balls and that effectively had an effect on the run rate. It was left to Shimron
Hetmyer (42 n o, 22b, 4×4, 1×6) to up the ante and help DC close to the 190-run mark. However, Delhi would certainly feel that a 200-plus score was in their sight when Stoinis and Dhawan were going great guns.
Sandeep (1/30) and T Natarajan (0/32) bowled the last two overs of the DC innings brilliantly. They just went for 13 runs in the 19th and 20th over of the innings.
Brief scores: DC 189 for 3 (Shikhar Dhawan 78, Shimron Hetmyer 42 n o, Rashid Khan 1/26) vs SRH. Match to continue.
PNN/Agencies