Fiery spells from Anrich Nortje and Axar Patel helped Delhi Capitals (DC) edge past Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 7-run in a low-scoring thriller in Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Monday. Nortje and Patel bagged two wickets each. A collective and disciplined bowling effort from the bowlers helped Delhi Capitals defend 144 as they applied pressure, scalped regular wickets, maintained the stranglehold and held their nerve to take the away team past the finish line. Impact Player Mukesh Kumar bowled a fantastic final over to defend 13 runs after a late surge provided by Heinrich Klaasen and Washington Sundar had threatened to take away the match from SRH.
Earlier, Washington Sundar (4-0-28-3) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-0-11-2) broke the back of DC’s batting with excellent spells and restricted the side to 144/9. Chasing 145, SRH got off to a steady start as Mayank Agarwal unfurled a slew of cuts and well-timed drives to take SRH to 31/0 from five overs. Harry Brook, at the other end, found the going tough and the desperation got to him as he looked to scoop one of Anrich Nortje but missed and was cleaned up for 7 off 14 balls.
DC tightened things from then on, bowled with discipline and didn’t give the SRH batters an inch. They didn’t concede a boundary for several overs as the home side reached 58/1 at the halfway mark. Agarwal finally ended the boundary drought as he slapped one through covers off Mitchell Marsh for the first boundary in 27 balls. Marsh could have had the wicket of Agarwal in the same over but Mukesh Kumar dropped a touch low catch at short fine leg.
It didn’t cost DC much as Axar Patel sent back Agarwal in the next over, having him caught at long on for 49 off 39. DC made it two wickets in two overs as Ishant Sharma came back and removed Impact Player Rahul Tripathi caught behind. Axar then got a huge wicket as he made Aiden Markram drag one onto the stumps in the next over as DC were all over SRH with four wickets in four overs. The required rate kept climbing and went over 11 by the end of the 15th over. With 51 needed of 24 balls, Washington Sundar and Heinrich Klassen released some pressure hitting a four and a six respectively as the pair took 13 off an over. Klassen cracked a couple of fours off Mukesh Kumar and Washington Sundar then paddled the last ball to fine leg for the third four of the over as the pair amassed 15 off the over. Nortje then provided a crucial moment in the match as he had Klaasen caught at deep cover after he was dropped by Mitchell Marsh off the previous ball. Washington Sundar whipped one over mid-wicket for a four in the same over and then took a single off the last ball to keep the strike.
With 13 to get off the last over, Warner handed the ball to Impact Player Mukesh Kumar again. Washington drove the first one through extra cover for a couple but Kumar followed with an excellent yorker to bowl a dot next ball. With 11 needed of four, Washington thumped one too long on for just a single.