Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals pulled off a controlled yet dramatic chase, defeating Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 6 wickets. DC opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
Axar Patel and Lungi Ngidi starred with the ball as Delhi Capitals restricted Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 175/8 from 20 overs.
RCB had got off to a strong start after being asked to bat first. Openers Virat Kohli (19) and Phil Salt (63) forged 52 runs for the first wicket in 31 deliveries. The former RCB skipper, however was dismissed by Lungi Ngidi in the fifth over, but Salt continued to be aggressive.
The England batter got to his half-century in 30 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes. However, the innings took yet another turn as Salt was dismissed in thec 11th over, leaving RCB at 105/3.
From then on, DC began taking wickets at regular intervals, and eventually, RCB were restricted to a total below 200.
Apart from Axar Patel (2/18), Lungi Ngidi (2/39), Kuldeep Yadav (2/32) and Mukesh Kumar (1/32) were the wicket-takers for DC.
KL Rahul anchored Delhi Capitals’ chase. His fluent 57 off 34 balls set the platform early, blending smart strike rotation with timely boundaries, and ensuring DC stayed ahead of the asking rate through the middle phase.
After Rahul’s dismissal triggered by a sharp catch, the innings briefly lost momentum, but Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs steadied the innings. Axar looked set before cramps forced him off the field, creating a moment of concern and slight disruption in the flow.
RCB bowlers, especially Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, tightened things effectively in the death overs, building pressure and pushing the game into a tense finish.
With the required rate climbing, David Miller stepped up when it mattered most. The final over saw a complete shift in momentum, after a quiet start, Miller unleashed two towering sixes off Romario Shepherd to swing the game decisively. He then finished it off with a boundary, sealing a confident chase.
