IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer's 50s in vain, RCB edges past DC by a run

This is the 14th edition of the glamorous Indian Premier League, presently being held in India. Delhi Capitals is yet to win the IPL title, having finished as runner-up last season. Royal Challengers Bangalore, too, remains in the hunt for its maiden IPL title.

IPL 2021, Match 22: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (DC vs RCB) report-ayh

Team Newsable

Ahmedabad, First Published Apr 27, 2021, 9:15 PM IST

It was a boringly close encounter as Delhi Capitals took it down the wire but fell short by a run against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 22 of the 2021 Indian Premier League at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday. While skipper Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer struck respective half-centuries, it was still not enough to see it past RCB.

Winning the toss, DC skipper Rishabh Pant elected to bowl first, while he made a forced changed by bringing in pacer Ishant Sharma for unavailable all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin. As for RCB, skipper Virat Kohli made a couple of changes, bringing in Rajat Patidar and Daniel Sams for Navdeep Saini and Daniel Christian.

RCB was yet again off to a rocky start, losing openers Virat Kohli (12) and Devdutt Padikkal (17) within the powerplay itself, as the score read 36/2 at the end of the sixth over. Meanwhile, 24 runs later, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell fell for 25 to spinner Amit Mishra in the ninth over.

LIVE SCORECARD: IPL 2021, Match 22: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (DC vs RCB)

Nevertheless, it was followed by a worthy 54-run stand for the fourth wicket between Rajat Patidar and de Villiers before the former departed for 31 off spinner Axar Patel in the 15th over. Meanwhile, after 25 runs in the 18th over, all-rounder Washington Sundar was caught and bowled by pacer Kagiso Rabada for a mere six.

In the meantime, de Villiers continued to play smart cricket and brought up his 41st IPL half-century. In the final over, off pacer Marcus Stoinis, he smashed 22 runs, as RCB finished on a good total of 171/5.

As for DC, six bowlers were put into the attack. It was a consolidated effort, with each claiming a wicket, barring Stoinis, while Ishant was the most economical of all.

DC came out for the chase following a mild delayed start, owing to a dust storm. It was off to a tense start as well, losing the first couple of wickets by the fourth over, with Shikhar Dhawan (6) and Steve Smith (4) departing for cheap, while the score read 43/2 at the end of the sixth over.

Just four runs later, opener Prithvi Shaw fell for 21 after edging it behind off pacer Harshal Patel. Nevertheless, it followed a healthy 47-run stand for the fourth wicket between Pant and Stoinis before the latter knicked it behind off the same man in the 13th over, at 92.

The pair of Pant and Hetmyer produced a 78-run stand for the fifth wicket and scored their respective half-centuries in the process. With six needed off the final ball of pacer Mohammed Siraj, Pant could only manage four, as RCB made a lucky escape by just a run.

For RCB, six bowlers were utilised as well. While Harshal was the most successful, leg-spinner Chahal was highly economical.
Brief scores: RCB 171/5 (Patidar- 31, de Villiers- 75*, Ishant- 1/26) beats DC 170/4 (Pant- 58*, Hetmyer- 53*; Harshal- 2/37) by a run.

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Last Updated Apr 27, 2021, 11:35 PM IST