Hello and welcome to Sportstar's HIGHLIGHTS of the IPL 2021 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals in Dubai
INNINGS RECAP
Srikar Bharat stole the show with a last-ball six and took RCB home with an unbeaten 78 off 52 balls. Along with Maxwell (51* off 33), the duo put up a 111-run partnership for the fourth wicket to end the league phase on a winning note.
RCB's chase of 165 was off to a nightmare start, with openers Padikkal and Kohli sent packing with six runs on the board. AB de Villiers plodded along with a run-a-ball 26 before perishing to Axar.
Maxwell and Bharat kept accumulating runs at a healthy pace, helped along the way with two dropped catches off Axar's over. With the equation down to 19 runs off 12 balls, Anrich Nortje bowled a fantastic over to make it 15 off the last over.
Avesh Khan started off by conceding a four but recovered to leave RCB needing 6 off the last ball. However, pressure got to the young pacer as he bowled a wide followed by a full-toss on the last ball that Srikar Bharat clubbed for a six to seal the win.
RCB beats DC by 7 wickets.
--END OF CHASE--
RCB 166/3 (20 overs): Avesh has to deliver with the ball. FOUR! Smashed first ball past long-off. Pulled down square leg for two and it's a fifty for Maxwell-- the sixth of the season. A fast yorker and Maxwell steals one. Pant thinks there might be pad before bat and he reviews. Hawk-eye shows ball pitched outside leg. Swing and a miss from Bharat. 8 to win from 2 balls. Another perfect yorker and Bharat gets just two off the pads. Sloppy from Axar to give away the extra run. 6 to win off 1. WIDE! 5 to win off 1. SIX! Bharat clubs a full toss over over the ropes. RCB win .
RCB needs 15 from 6 balls.
RCB 150/3 (19 overs): Nortje to Bharat. Single off the first ball. Beaten! Maxwell tries to slap one down the off and misses. Two singles follow and Nortje is refusing the lengths that the batters want. One again as Maxwell swivels and pulls to deep square leg. And a wide full-toss and beaten! Just four from the penultimate over. Nortje might have just changed the complexion of the match.
RCB 146/3 (18 overs): Avesh to Maxwell. Single off the first down deep backward square leg. Bharat inside edges a full one to fine leg for a brace. Another two next ball straight down the ground. Two more as a slog over long-on falls short of the boundary. FOUR!
RCB needs 31 runs to win from 18 balls at 10.00 RPO.
RCB 134/3 (17 overs): FOUR! On the legs and full from Rabada and Maxwell flicks it behind deep square leg. A brace for Bharat and a SIX! Slow and short and Bharat pulls it powerfully over deep mid-wicket. Two singles to end the over. 15 from it.
--TIME OUT--
RCB 119/3 (16 overs): Ripal to Bharat. Single off the first and that's a maiden fifty for Bharat. Switch-hit from Maxwell and he survives again as the ball lands beyond point. FOUR! Wide and slightly short on off and Maxwell smacks it over cover. A single with a nudge to midwicket. TIME OUT.
RCB needs 55 runs to win from 30 balls at 11.00 RPO.
RCB 108/3 (15 overs): FOUR! Maxwell getting a move on here. Runs it down fine leg for four off Nortje. FOUR! Leans back and creams it to the deep midwicket boundary.
RCB 96/3 (14 overs): Dropped! Maxwell plays a big shot on the full and mistimes, but Iyer drops it at deep midwicket, right through his hands. FOUR AND FOUR! Two consecutive fours on the classical Maxwell switch-hits, with runs to third while the other in front of square. And dropped again! Maxwell slogs and gets the top edge, but Ashwin drops it after diving forward at short third.
RCB 85/3 (13 overs): Rabada hits Bharat. Perfectly directed bouncer and Bharat gets it on the grill. Three singles and Bharat slogs over cover and gets two. FOUR! Deft touch to third on a full length.
RCB 75/3 (12 overs): Axar into his third. Maxwell goes for the switch-hit an misses. Single down square leg after Maxwell tucks it off his pad. SIX! A glorious hit from Bharat straight over the bowler. Steps out and crunches it. Single and Bharat keeps strike.
RCB 66/3 (11 overs): Ripal keep it tight with a fullish length on the stumps. Just five from it as the batters deal in singles.
RCB 61/3 (10 overs): Axar continues. OUT! Short and quick and de Villiers doesn't middle the pull, handing it to deep square leg. FOUR! Bharat lifts it over long-off on a full length to find the fence.
--TIME OUT--
RCB 54/2 (9 overs): Ripal into the attack. Starts off with two dots to de Villiers. FOUR! Full on the stumps and de Villiers meats it straight past the bowler for a one-bounce four. TIME OUT .
RCB 48/2 (8 overs): Ashwin to bowl. SIX! de Villiers steps out to get it in the slot and smash it over long-on. Three singles to end the over. 11 off the first Ashwin over.
RCB 37/2 (7 overs): Rabada continues. A brace to begin the over as Bharat runs it down third. FOUR! de Villiers finally gets a short one away. Leans slightly back and pulls it to four at the deep square leg boundary. A single and dot to end the over.
RCB 29/2 (6 overs): Avesh back into the attack. Beautiful use of the short ball as de Villiers can't get it away on two consecutive occasions. A fullish length this time outside off and de Villiers gets the inside edge; dot ball. Beaten outside off last ball. Just two from it.
RCB 27/2 (5 overs): Rabada replaces Nortje. Starts off with three singles and a dot. Bharat is beaten on the last ball with a wasteful drive on off on a back of length delivery.
RCB 23/2 (4 overs): Axar in with left-arm spin. SIX! Steps out for a heave that clears long-off on a full length. FOUR! Gets down for the classic sweep down square leg.
RCB 11/2 (3 overs): OUT! Nortje gets Kohli. Full on middle and Kohli looks to clear mid-on. Gets the bottom of the bat and Rabada takes it at mid-on.
RCB 6/1 (2 overs): Avesh into the attack. Loud LBW appeal straighaway againt Kohli and declined by umpire. Pant reviews and hawkeye confirms ball was missing lg stump. Delhi loses review. Just two from the next four.
RCB 4/1 (1 over): Nortje to Kohli. Off the mark on first ball with a brace down third. Two dots and a single. OUT! Decked in short by Nortje and Padikkal goes for the ramp, running it down straight to Ashwin at third.
--START OF CHASE--
Delhi Capitals might have gone past the average first innings score of 150 at the venue in this year's IPL, but it would be disappointed with the total considering the strong foundation set by opener Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan.
After a 88-run stand in 10 overs, wickets fell in quick succession, leaving Delhi at 108/3 with the top three back in the hut. Shreyas Iyer was sluggish with a run-a-ball 18 as the fast bowlers employed the slower balls to perfection to deny a flourish at the end.
Bangalore will fancy its chances going into the chase and will hope for a good start from skipper Kohli and fellow-opener Padikkal.
--END OF INNINGS--
DC 164/5 (20 overs): Siraj to bowl the final over. Siraj jams in the yorker first ball for a dot. Siraj is lucky to head his head out of the way as Hetmyer goes straight and goes hard, but just a single as Ripal runs sluggishly. FOUR! Ripal smashes the yorker for a four past long-on. Single and a dot as Hetmyer misses the pull. OUT! Hetmyer slogs on a full-toss on middle to hand it to Kohli at deep midwicket. Stellar final over. Six runs and a wicket.
DC 158/4 (19 overs): Harshal gets the perfect yorker to new batter Ripal Patel first up. Ripal gets off the mark with a single next ball. SIX! Full outside off and Hetmyer deposits it over long-on all the way. Single as Hetmyer misses out on a wide full-toss begging to be hit. Wide! Another wide! And a peach next ball. Slower one that floats over the stumps as Ripal is beaten. Beaten again with another slower one.
DC 148/4 (18 overs): Siraj to bowl the 18th. He is keeping it on yorker length, giving away just two off the first three. OUT! The pressure was building on Iyer. Siraj goes for a slow full-toss and Iyer slogs it straight to long-on. FOUR! Hetmyer punishes a high-full toss to deep point. He is not happy with the umpire's not calling that an above the waist no-ball.
DC 141/3 (17 overs): Harshal mixing his pace with guile in the death. Hetmyer and Iyer don't seem to find the timing on the slogs. Great save by Padikkal at deep point on a drive by Hetmyer. Eight from it.
DC 133/3 (16 overs): Garton is back in the attack. Dot and a brace for Iyer as he drives it past cover. Three come off the next four balls. Neat from Garton.
DC 128/3 (15 overs): Christian to resume action. FOUR! And Hetmyer welcomes him with a slap drilled through mid-off. SIX! Follows it with a maximum over the bowler's head. Tucked off his legs next ball for a single. FOUR! Iyer on the offensive as he pulls it through deep mid-wicket. Two singles to end an expensive over.
--TIME OUT--
DC 112/3 (14 overs): Chahal bowls out. Just four singles off it and a direct hit run out chance missed as Hetmyer looked to steal one. TIME OUT
DC 108/3 (13 overs): Christian replaces Harshal. Great save on the deep square leg boundary by Harshal, saves two for sure there as Pant glances on a short one. OUT! Decked in slightly short and Pant seeks to drive outside off only to get the edge that carries to keeper Bharat. New man Hetmyer defends the next two.
DC 105/2 (12 overs): SIX! Yorker length by Chahal and Shaw slog sweeps for a six over midwicket. OUT! Shaw slices it to cover and Garton takes it on the third attempt after fumbling twice. Prithvi Shaw c Garton b Chahal 48(31b 4x4 2x6). Iyer joins Pant. Four come off the next four as Iyer gets off the mark with a single.
DC 95/1 (11 overs): OUT! Harshal outsmarts Dhawan. A slower one and Dhawan follows through with his slog to find Dan Christian at mid-off. FOUR! Skipper Pant finds the boundary on his first ball. Drives on a full length outside off through extra-cover and mid-off. A dot and two singles to end the over.
DC 88/0 (10 overs): Chahal to Dhawan. Swept to deep square leg for two. SIX! Shaw goes down the track and lifts a full one on his legs straight over the bowler's head for a six. Two singles to end the over.
DC 77/0 (9 overs): Purple Cap holder Harshal Patel introduced. On the money straight away.Good length and angling in Dhawan can't get it away. And almost gets him next ball. Short and Dhawan is beaten on the bounce. SIX! Dhawan shuffles across the off stump and pulls it for a six just over deep square leg.
DC 68/0 (8 overs): Chahal to roll his wrists. Dhawan tucks one on the pads for a single. Full on middle stump and Shaw slogs hard for just one as widish long-on picks it up. FOUR! Full outside off and Shaw gets low to swat it to the deep extra cover boundary. Five singles and a boundary from the over.
DC 59/0 (7 overs): Siraj back into the attack. Edged and safe! Short and angling in on Shaw and gets a lucky single after edging it to short third. Shaw's travails with the short ball continue as he precariously fends off one from Siraj. Full on the stumps and Shaw makes room and slashes it to third for one. Leg-bye to end the over.
DC 55/0 (6 overs): FOUR! Garton pitches it full and Shaw leans into the drive through extra cover as Maxwell sees it roll to the boundary. FOUR! Full on the legs to Dhawan and he whips it fine. Harshal with a terrible misfield and it is a four.
DC 45/0 (5 overs): Maxwell into his third. Short and Shaw opens his stance to smack it down leg for a single. SIX! Over-pitched on the legs and Dhawan sweeps it for a six over backward square leg. And Dhawan completes 2000 runs for Delhi Capitals. FOUR! Shaw this time. Steps out on a full length and drives past extra cover. Two to end the over.
DC 31/0 (4 overs) : Garton replaces Siraj. Shaw tucks it down short third for one. No-ball. Garton bowls a shoulder-length full toss. Dhawan gets one from the free hit. Garton keeps it tight with three singles from three balls and a dot to end the over.
DC 25/0 (3 overs): A breather for RCB as Maxwell concedes just four singles and a wide.
DC 20/0 (2 overs): FOUR! Siraj starts off with a lose one to Shaw. Slightly short outside off and Shaw pierces it through point to the boundary. Same shot next ball but with deep point in place, Shaw gets one. Dhawan edges one to short third for a dot. What a beauty! Pitched on leg and it swings in to miss Dhawan's edge. FOUR! Dhawan tucks a full one on legs to the boundary. Dhawan mistimes a pull next ball for a single at fine leg.
DC 10/0 (1 over): Maxwell to Shaw. Wide first ball. Shaw off strike with a nudge down leg for one. Dhawan gets off the mark next ball with a glance through long on for a single. FOUR! Over-pitched outside off and Dhawan slaps it for four. Two singles follow. 10 from it.
The players have taken the field. Shaw and Dhawan walk into the middle. The countdown has begun as the league phase ends.
Dhawan needs 46 runs to surpass KL Rahul's run tally and reclaim the Orange Cap.
Royal Challengers Bangalore XI: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Dan Christian, Shahbaz Ahmed, George Garton, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Delhi Capitals XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Ripal Patel, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje,
As RCB bowls, it will look to improve its numbers in the Powerplay. It has the worst economy rate in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 at 9.05 RPO in the Powerplay, and has just one wicket.
TOSS TIME: Kohli wins the toss and elects to bowl. Both teams go unchanged into the match. Pant says he would have batted first anyway.
Note: The MI vs SRH match will be played in parallel with this game. Follow all the live updates here .
KEY BATTLES
KEY BATTLES
Both the Royal Challengers and the Capitals have maintained a clean slate at Dubai in the second leg of the IPL, with two wins from two matches for each.
Kohli and Pant could be looking to bowl first as the chasing team has had a distinct advantage in the tournament.
PREVIEW
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will be keen to iron out any chinks ahead of the playoffs when they meet in Dubai on Friday.
The defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday means RCB's chances of a top-two finish are all but over. The result also meant DC was assured of a top-two spot.
The success of Avesh Khan has allowed DC to split the pace duo of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada and target batters through various passages. In T20 cricket, AB de Villiers has scored 77 runs against Axar Patel in 72 balls and has been dismissed once. The Capitals will look to hold their left-arm spinner back for de Villiers.
Among DC batters, Shimron Hetmyer has been explosive. He has been the anchor when wickets have fallen quickly, and the aggressor when the asking rate has gone up.
Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw have added heft. The destructive ability of Rishabh Pant makes DC more enterprising.
Fixing the batting order should be high on RCB's agenda. The move to send Dan Christian at No. 3 against SRH failed.
Bizarre decision
However, more bizarre was the decision to send its best finisher AB de Villiers at 6, below floater Srikar Bharat. In the end, de Villiers faced only 13 deliveries and had six runs to get off the last two balls but couldn't pull it off. De Villiers shouldn't be batting lower than No. 5.
Their bowling looks in excellent shape. Harshal Patel has 29 wickets so far this season. Only Dwayne Bravo (32) and Kagiso Rabada (30) have taken more wickets in an IPL season. After a lean first half, Yuzvendra Chahal has rediscovered his guile. This augurs well for RCB.
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