After the Capitals' victory, LSG's chances of making the playoffs are all but gone.
Delhi Capitals signed off the league stage with a 19-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in Delhi, and kept themselves in contention for a top-four finish, even if only mathematically. LSG, with one more game left against Mumbai Indians, arent out of the running either, but both teams will have to depend on other results to go their way if they are to make the top four.
From 44 for 4 in a chase of 209, LSG took the contest to the last over thanks to Nicholas Poorans 61 and Arshad Khans unbeaten 58 from No.8 . However, Rasikh Salam defended 22 off the final over to hand DC their seventh victory of IPL 2024.
On a high-scoring surface, DC had to post 200 or above to have a shot at collecting two points. After being asked to bat, Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbsshone with fifties to power DC to 208 for 4. With the ball, Ishant Sharma ripped through LSG early on with three wickets and even though Pooran and Arshad tried their best, LSG kept losing wickets at the other end and eventually fell short.
Hope and Porels powerplay
DC lost their aggressive opener Jake Fraser-McGurk in the first over when he was caught at long-on off the left-arm quick Arshad. But Porel and Shai Hope didnt let the wicket slow them down. After smashing six off Mohsin Khan, Porel pummeled three fours and a six in Arshads second over. In the following over, Hope targeted Yudhvir Singh and hit 4,4, and 6. By the end of four overs, DC had raced to 51 for 1. The duo didnt spare Naveen-ul-Haq either as he ended up conceding 17 runs off his first over. DC ended the powerplay on 73 for 1, with Porel batting on 43 off 16.
The middle-overs slowdown
Porel raced to his fifty in 21 balls but hit only eight runs off his next 12 balls, thanks to LSGs spinners who exerted pressure in the middle overs. Rahul brought in Ravi Bishnoi immediately after the powerplay and bowled Krunal Pandya and Deepak Hooda from the other end. Bishnoi broke the 92-run second-wicket stand between Porel and Hope in the ninth over, when Hope thrashed a full-length wide delivery straight to cover, where Rahul took a stunning low catch to dismiss him for a 27-ball 38. After only 17 came off the next 15 balls, Porel fell to Naveens slower ball, trying to go big. Bishnoi finished with 1 for 26 from his four overs, as DC accumulated just 42 runs from overs 7 to 12.
Stubbs blitz lifts DC
After 15 overs, DC were 136 for 3 and the 200 mark looked far away. But they still had Stubbs. After scoring seven off his first nine deliveries, he took off, first smashing Arshad for two fours and a six in the 16th over and then Naveen for two sixes and a four in the 19th to get to his fifty in 22 balls. His unbeaten 57 off 25, and a quickfire 33 from Rishabh Pant, lifted DC to 208 for 4, with 72 runs coming off the final five overs.
Ishant rips through LSG
Ishant, the Impact Player, made an impact straightaway, removing three big guns - Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda - in his first three overs. Axar Patels dismissal of Marcus Stoinis - stumped by Pant - meant LSG were reeling at 44 for 4 in no time.
