34th match, DC vs RR, IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have risen to the top of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 table after defeating the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 15 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. With a 15-run triumph, RR climbed to the top of the table as Jos Buttler smashed his third century of the season, propelling RR to a monstrous total of 222/2. DC openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw responded well with the bat in pursuit of a tough goal of 223, and the team was 35/0 after four overs. Warner struck three straight fours against Prithvi Shaw before being caught behind by Prasidh Krishna's bowling.
On the opening delivery of Ashwin's stint, he took the wicket of Sarfaraz Khan, and DC were 55-2 after six overs. DC skipper Rishabh Pant and Shaw combined for 26 runs off Obed McCoy's ninth over. DC were on the verge of reaching 100 runs when Ashwin took his second wicket, dismissing the dangerous Shaw for 37 runs. Pant hit two sixes and a four in the next over, bowled by Riyan Parag, for 22 runs.
Pant was given a reprieve in the 12th over, but he was caught by Padikkal, who then took a stunning catch to end Pant's innings. DC were 5 down after Chahal removed Axar Patel's stumps in the 13th over, and Shardul Thakur joined Lalit Yadav at the crease. Before DC lost another wicket, Shardul Thakur went short of the crease in the 16th over, Lalit Yadav smashed two fours and a six. Rovman Powell, who joined Lalit Yadav, kept DC's chances alive after the right-handed batter hit two sixes in the final two overs to reduce the equation to 36.
Prasidh Krishna, on the other hand, delivered a magnificent wicket-maiden over, and DC needed 36 runs off the final over. RR won the game by 15 runs in the end, despite Rovman Powell hitting three sixes off the first three deliveries. RR, who were given the opportunity to bat first, did not modify their lineup from the previous game. Devdutt Padikkal and Jos Buttler, the RR openers, got off to a cautious start before Padikkal smashed three successive fours in the fourth over. RR were 44/0 at the end of the powerplay after Buttler hit two sixes against Khaleel Ahmed. Padikkal slammed his first six of the innings after the fifty-run stand for the first wicket was broken.
After Buttler hit a six and four against Kuldeep Yadav in the ninth over, the team scored 15 runs. In the 11th over, which generated 17 runs, the right-handed batter reached his half-century. Buttler kept applying pressure with the bat, smashing two sixes off Lalit Yadav, and RR were 128/0 after 13 overs. Padikkal hit a four in the next over to reach his half-century. After smoking two sixes and a four, Buttler entered the nineties. After Padikkal was caught LBW, DC got the breakthrough through Khaleel Ahmed.
In the 16th over, Buttler scored his third century of the season. In the 18th over, RR captain Sanju Samson jumped on the bandwagon and clobbered two sixes and as many fours against Khaleel Ahmed while also getting a reprieve. Buttler hit another six before being sent out in the penultimate over by Mustafizur. As RR amassed a magnificent 222/2 in the first innings, RR skipper Samson finished the innings in style with a six.
Scores: Rajasthan Royals 222/2 (Jos Buttler 116, Devdutt Padikkal 54; Mustafizur Rahman 1-43) beat Delhi Capitals 207/8 (Rishabh Pant 44, Lalit Yadav 37; Prasidh Krishna 3-22) by 15 runs.
