AI Simulation, PBKS vs DC | Rahul rises to challenge in tricky Jaipur to hurt Punjab's top-two push

‌‌‌Pitch & Weather

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium stayed true to its nature on Saturday, with significant help for the team. An ongoing heatwave in Jaipur also led to the hottest day of the season and ensured a severely dry track with plenty in it for the slower bowlers. The temperatures exceeded 40 degrees centigrade in the evening, and remained in the high 30s through to the end of the game close to midnight.

Toss & Conditions

Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to chase.

Lineups

PBKS: Prabhsimran (wk), Arya, Iyer (c), Wadhera, Owen, Shashank, Omarzai, Jansen, Brar, Bartlett, Arshdeep, Chahal 

DC: Rahul, du Plessis, Porel(wk), Rizvi, Axar(c), Stubbs, Ashutosh, Nigam, Kuldeep, Chameera, Mukesh, Mustafizur     

Match Report

Asked to bat first, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya excercised some omore of the restraint they have exhibited in recent times early on as Mukesh Kumar managed to extract significant swing with the new ball. Axar Patel's tight lines and length did not help Punjab's cause either, and eventually culminated in Arya playing a rash shot to hole out for 15. Nevertheless, Shreyas Iyer counterattacked right off the bat, his three boundaries leading the team to 53/1 at the end of powerplay. However, once the field spread, the wrist-spin duo of Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav once again had the two batters on leash with just 27 runs coming off the next four. Iyer and Prabhsimran ultimately brought up their 50-run stand in the 11th over but the latter departed the very next ball after a composed 42 off 30 to hand Kuldeep his first scalp of the day. The left-arm spinner smelled blood, and went on a rampage to dispatch both Nehal Wadhera and Mitchell Owen in the same spell, leaving Punjab reeling at 110/4 after 15 by the time he was done. However, Shreyas sought to change the tide again as he finally went after Vipraj in the leggie's final over, smashing two sixes and a boundary to bring up a convincing 40-ball half-century. The Punjab skipper added another four to his tally at the death but eventually holed out off Mustafizur Rahman for 58 and with none of the lower-order batters managing any significant contributions, the hosts eventually ended at 164/8.

In response, Delhi began smoothly with both KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis content to keep the scoreboard ticking without any extravagant risks. The stand had touched 40 and the Proteas opener thought the moment was right to switch gears but as has been the story for him this season, the execution lacked and Arshdeep Singh had his first scalp of the day. Regardless, the Capitals found themselves decently placed at 47/1 at the end of the powerplay, even though the threat of Yuzvendra Chahal loomed large. The wrist-spinner managed to make no dents in his first three overs as Abhishek Porel built up a half-century stand with Rahul, but turned the game on its head with his final effort. The wickets of both the Bengal wicket-keeper batter and Sameer Rizvi meant the Capitals went from cruising to needing over 60 in the final seven overs. Rahul's every attempt at upping the tempo went askew albeit the opener did keep surviving and once Axar succumbed to Arshdeep for cheap, the onus fell on Tristan Stubbs to take the team home. The South African big-hitter delivered with aplomb, smashing two maximums against compatriot Marco Jansen and then adding three more boundaries to his tally. Rahul stayed put at the other end, his 42-ball half-century eventually becoming a 50-ball 60 before the former Punjab skipper agonizingly fell in the last over with just a solitary run required. It mattered little to the result though, as Ashutosh scored the winning run to secure victory with three balls to spare.            

Player of the Day

KL Rahul's resplendent season with the bat continued in Jaipur -- his anchoring 60 making sure the team navigates a tricky surface to ace a difficult chase even as the spinners threatened to run rampant. The 50-ball knock took the veteran to number four in the Orange Cap list for the season, and also earned KL his 16th Man of the Match award in IPL history.  

Scorecard