Highlights, DC vs RR, IPL 2019: Clinical Delhi beat Rajasthan by 5 wickets

Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals: DC beat RR by 5 wickets

* Easy-peasy for Delhi then. They were not chasing a big total but when the openers fell in quick succession, they would have felt some sort of a tremor. The team needed one batsman to bat big and one partnership to be strung and one of the two happened.

19.18 IST: Ish Sodhi to Rishabh Pant, SIX! Game, set and match. Delhi end the league stage with 9 wins.

19.15 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Rishabh Pant, SIX! BLAST! Just 2 more needed.

* This is sad. STRATEGIC BREAK with 10 runs needed.

19.11 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Sherfane Rutherford, OUT! Caught. Six previous ball, gone next ball. Tossed up outside off, Rutherford gets down to slog but is not quite to the pitch of the ball. He gets a top edge which goes high in the air. Liam Livingstone has to run back just a bit and takes the catch comfortably in the end.

19.10 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Sherfane Rutherford, SIX! Short ball, outside off, Rutherford pulls it over mid-wicket. The fielder leaps but misses. His knee touches the bottle beyond the ropes but he seems to be fine.

19.08 IST: Varun Aaron to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! BELLIGERENT! Short and wide outside off, Pant slaps it over point and gets a boundary! 100 up for Delhi with 16 from that over.

19.07 IST: Varun Aaron to Rishabh Pant, SIX! Fine leg was in but it wouldn't have mattered. It is turning out to be an expensive over from Aaron - 12 from it already. A short ball, around middle, Pant swivels and just uses the pace of the bowler, helping it over fine leg.

19.05 IST: Varun Aaron to Sherfane Rutherford, A better throw would have had Rutherford. Really poor running from the West Indian. Sherfane flicks it through mid-wicket and immediately calls for two. Mahipal Lomror runs as hard as he can to the ball but cannot quite put in the hard yards. It should have been an easy couple but this is where Rutherford commits a schoolboy error.

* Sherfane Rutherford walks in at number 6, replacing Ingram.

18.59 IST: Ish Sodhi to Colin Ingram, OUT! Caught! Is there still life in this game? Ingram departs. His sorry tournament continues. Full and around middle and leg, the South African reaches out to sweep. No, it is actually an attempt to lap it around the corner.

18.57 IST: Krishnappa Gowtham to Rishabh Pant, Yes, no and yes finally. Short and outside off, Pant punches it towards cover. He initially calls for a single but then changes his mind. Reason being, Shreyas Gopal is prowling that region. But then, he fumbles and then Pant calls again for the single and it is completed in the end.

18.52 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Rishabh Pant, The googly, outside off, Pant lets it go. The ball spins past the wide guideline but umpire Ian Gould does not give it a wide. Lucky Gopal this time.

18.48 IST: Krishnappa Gowtham to Colin Ingram, Outside off, Colin looks to cut but gets a thick outside edge which flies towards short third man. Ish Sodhi dives to his right but makes a half-stop. Two runs taken.

18.44 IST: Stuart Binny to Colin Ingram, Once again short in length, Ingram pulls it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

* Stuart Binny is introduced into the attack.

18.40 IST: Krishnappa Gowtham to Colin Ingram, Tossed up on middle, Ingram gets on his front foot and defends it.

* Krishnappa Gowtham is back into the attack.

18.38 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Rishabh Pant, Full and outside off, driven towards long off for a run more.

* Colin Ingram walks in at number 5, replacing Iyer.

18.36 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! Iyer holes out. Gopal gets his first. Loopy delivery on middle, Shreyas looks to go over long on against the turn. He does not time it well and it goes straight to the man at long on

* Change of ends for Gopal. 1-0-1-0 so far.

18.31 IST: Riyan Parag to Rishabh Pant, SIX! This is not off the middle but the power of Pant sees it take it over the ropes.

18.30 IST: Riyan Parag to Rishabh Pant, SIX! That is some hit from Pant. Flighted on middle, Pant gets down on one knee and slog sweeps it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

* STRATEGIC BREAK.

18.26 IST: Ish Sodhi to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! What a way to get off the mark. After blocking the first 9 balls. Pant gets a short ball outside off, Pant gets on his back foot and slaps it through covers for a boundary.

18.25 IST: Ish Sodhi to Shreyas Iyer, SIX! Two in two. The Delhi skipper is going after Sodhi here. Flighted outside off, Iyer smokes it over long off once again for another biggie.

18.24 IST: Ish Sodhi to Shreyas Iyer, SIX! Brilliant shot. Flighted on off, Iyer gets on his front foot and heaves it over the long off fence for a maximum.

18.20 IST: Shreyas Gopal to Shreyas Iyer, A short ball, down the leg side, the googly first up, pulled towards backward square leg for a single.

18.17 IST: Ish Sodhi to Rishabh Pant, No, he cannot. Tossed on off, Pant looks to defend it but gets a leading edge which falls at cover.

* Rishabh Pant is the next batsman in to face the hat-trick ball.

18.15 IST: Ish Sodhi to Prithvi Shaw, OUT! Sodhi on a hat-trick. Is this the twist in the tale. Shorter in length, turning away from Shaw. Prithvi looks to cut it but the ball is too close to the stumps. He goes for it and ends up chopping onto the leg stump. Delhi Capitals 28/2 in 3.2 overs

* Shreyas Iyer is the next batsman in.

18.14 IST: Ish Sodhi to Shikhar Dhawan, OUT! Sodhi strikes on his very first ball. The dangerous Dhawan is out of here. That wicket though is as much as Parag's as it is of Sodhi's. Parag has taken a good catch. Floated on middle and leg, Dhawan comes down the track and looks to go over mid on. He does not time it well at all. Riyan Parag runs behind from mid on and takes a good catch. Delhi Capitals 28/1 in 3.1 overs

18.11 IST: Oshane Thomas to Prithvi Shaw, FOUR! DC 28/0 in 3 overs

18.09 IST: Oshane Thomas to Dhawan, FOUR! Sheer class from the opener! Beautifully played. Good length ball on off, Dhawan gets on top of it and drives it elegantly through covers for a boundary. He holds the pose for the cameras. DC 23/0 in 2.3 overs

18.08 IST: Oshane Thomas to Dhawan, FOUR! Welcome to the attack and here's a boundary. Not the start Thomas would have wanted. Short and wide outside off, Dhawan slaps it over his favorite point region for a boundary. He looks in the mood today. DC 19/0 in 2.1 overs

18.05 IST: FOUR BYES! Full on the pads, Dhawan looks to flick but misses and the ball flicks his pad and goes wide of the keeper for a boundary. DC 12/0 in 1.3 overs

* Varun Aaron to bowl from the other end

18.01 IST: 6 runs off the first over. 

* Shikhar Dhawan is having some issue with his gloves and he is asking them to be replaced.

17.57 IST: And we're back for the chase. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan are out to open and surprisingly Krishnappa Gowtham will bowl the tist over. Let's get started. 

* 115...ummm... that is some sort of a total posted by Rajasthan. Cannot say that it is match-winning but this might test the home side. It will be interesting to see the game, if Delhi are indeed stretched.

17.44 IST: Trent Boult to Riyan Parag, OUT! Parag holes out but what a knock this has been. He has given his side something to bowl at. Rajasthan were losing wickets from one end but Parag held his end and played a great knock here. Full around off, Parag looks to go over long off but does not time it well and it goes straight to the man there.

17.42 IST: Trent Boult to Riyan Parag, WIDE. Miles outside off, Riyan lets it go. Pant has to dive to his right to stop the ball.

17.41 IST: Trent Boult to Riyan Parag, SIX! Fifty for Riyan Parag. Take a bow young man. He has showed class and maturity and played a gem of a knock.

17.39 IST: Trent Boult to Riyan Parag, SIX! First six in the innings for Parag. Full on off, Parag gets under it and smacks it over long off for a maximum. Not the start Boult would have wanted.

17.36 IST: Sherfane Rutherford to Riyan Parag, Full on off, Parag hits it hard but straight to long on. Parag does not take the single though.

* Sherfane Rutherford to continue the pending over.

* Keemo Paul is having some issues with his feet. He is in discomfort and his skipper, Shreyas Iyer is having a chat with him. Let's hope he is fine to continue. Nope. PAUL IS WALKING OFF.

17.31 IST: Keemo Paul to Riyan Parag, In the air but safe. Full toss on off, Parag hits it over but cannot get under it. The ball falls short of long on and they get a single.

* Keemo Paul to bowl the final over of the innings.

* Varun Aaron is the next man in.

17.26 IST: Trent Boult to Ish Sodhi, OUT! Boult gets into the wickets coloumn now. Full length ball on off, Sodhi looks to drive it but the bat turns in his hand.

* Trent Boult returns.

17.21 IST: Ishant Sharma to Riyan Parag, FOUR MORE! Nice batting from this youngster.

17.19 IST: Ishant Sharma to Riyan Parag, FOUR! Terrific shot but this is turning out to be an indifferent over from Ishant. 11 from it already.

* Ishant Sharma again. 3-0-20-3 so far.

17.15 IST: Keemo Paul to Ish Sodhi, Nice shot, but poor running. A short ball, outside off, Sodhi stands tall and pulls it towards wide long on for a run.

17.09 IST: Axar Patel to Ish Sodhi, Beaten all ends up. Landed outside off, Sodhi plays inside the line and looks to defend but misses.

* STRATEGIC BREAK. Rajasthan are in all sorts of bother. That is an understatement.

* Varun Aaron walks in at number 9, replacing Gowtham.

17.03 IST: Amit Mishra to Krishnappa Gowtham, OUT! Taken in the deep! Another loose shot from a Rajasthan player. Full and outside off, Gowtham comes down the track and looks to go over the top but is not to the pitch of the ball. Does not connect it at all and finds Ishant Sharma at long off. Third wicket for Mishra.

17.00 IST: Axar Patel to Krishnappa Gowtham, FOUR! A rare boundary for the visitors. Short and outside off, Gowtham goes back and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

16.58 IST: Amit Mishra to Krishnappa Gowtham, DROPPED! Trent Boult costs Mishra another hat-trick. The spinner has his hands over his head.

* Krishnappa Gowtham walks in at number 8, replacing Binny. He will face the hat-trick ball.

16.56 IST: Amit Mishra to Stuart Binny, OUT! Gone first ball! Pant has taken a nice catch and Binny is gone for a first-baller.

16.54 IST: Amit Mishra to Shreyas Gopal, OUT! Stumped! Half the side is back in the hut for Rajasthan. Mishra gets his first. Areally nice tossed up delivery outside off from Mishra. Gopal comes down the track and looks to hit it on the off side but misses. Pant behind the stumps gathers the ball and takes the bails off. Gopal is way down the track and there is no need to go upstairs.

16.51 IST: Keemo Paul to Riyan Parag, Full on middle and leg, Parag flicks it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

16.47 IST: Amit Mishra to Shreyas Gopal, Good sweep but just a run. Floated on off, Gopal sweeps it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

* STRATEGIC BREAK. Clearly, Delhi are on top here. They have scalped four wickets and they will now look to end this budding partnership after the break. Rajasthan meanwhile will be hoping these two can play a big innings here and stabilise their innings.

16.41 IST: Keemo Paul to Riyan Parag, FOUR! Smacked and smacked hard. Full on off, Parag slaps it past the bowler through mid off for a boundary.

* Kemo Paul is introduced into the attack.

16.38 IST: Amit Mishra to Riyan Parag, FOUR! That is absolutely smashed. Full and outside off, Parag reaches out and drags the sweep through mid-wicket.

* Amit Mishra introduced into attack

16.34 IST: Only four runs from Axar Patel over, tight bowling from the off-spinner and Riyan Parag looks uncomfortable against him.

16.31 IST: Ishant Sharma to Riyan Parag, Good length ball outside off. This one too stays low, Parag does well to stroke it to the man at cover. Rajasthan are 30/4 at the end of Powerplay.

* Riyan Parag comes to bat

16.28 IST: Ishant Sharma to Mahipal Lomror, OUT! Commentator's curse this. Just when I wrote Lomror needs to play a big innings, he departs in the very next ball. Rajasthan are now in deep trouble here. Good length ball outside off, Lomror looks to cut it but gets a thick outside edge to Pant behind the stumps.

* The new man in is Shreyas Gopal.

16.24 IST: Axar Patel to Sanju Samson, OUT! Mix-up and run out! Communication breakdown here. Full and outside off, Samson pushes it towards cover and sets off. Now, initially, he says no.

16.22 IST: Ishant Sharma to Mahipal Lomror, FOUR! Excellent way to get off the mark. Ishant bowls a poor delivery after the wicket and bowls it on the pads, Lomror flicks it through backward square leg for a boundary.

* Mahipal Lomror is the new man in at number 4, replacing Livingstone.

16.20 IST: Ishant Sharma to Liam Livingstone, OUT b Ishant Sharma. Jaipur have lost their second wicket.

16.16 IST: Ishant Sharma to Liam Livingstone, FOUR! In the air but it falls just wide of the fielder.

16.13 IST: Trent Boult to Liam Livingstone, SAFE AS A HOUSE. No wonder no one appealed. Full and outside off, Livingstone pushed it towards mid-off and set off for a quick single. Shreyas Iyer fielded it at mid-off and had a shy at the non-striker's end and hit the stumps down but did not appeal. The umpire referred it upstairs, just to be sure and replays showed that no harm was done.

* Sanju Samson walks in at number 3, replacing his captain.

16.09 IST: Ishant Sharma to Ajinkya Rahane, OUT c Shikhar Dhawan b Ishant Sharma. Jaipur have lost their first wicket.

16.06 IST: Ishant Sharma to Liam Livingstone, SIX! First maximum of the innings. Livingstone connects this time and this one goes over the ropes. Full on off, Livingstone comes down the track and heaves it over mid-wicket for a maximum.

* Ishant Sharma to bowl from the other end.

16.03 IST: Trent Boult to Liam Livingstone, Good bowling. Cramps the room for Livingstone and bowls it full on middle and leg, Livingstone pushes it to mid off.

* STAT ALERT - Ajinkya Rahane becomes the first player to feature in 100 League games for the Rajasthan franchise! 

16.01 IST: Trent Boult to Ajinkya Rahane, Hint of swing straightaway for Boult. It is on the pads though, Rahane flicks it towards square leg and gets Rajasthan underway.

15.59 IST: We are all set for play to begin. The umpires are out in the middle. The Delhi players are in a hurdle before they take their positions in the field. Rajasthan skipper, Ajinkya Rahane and Liam Livingstone walk out to the middle to open the innings. The new ball is in the hands of Trent Boult for Delhi.

15.39 IST: Playing XI of both the teams are here

15.37 IST:  Playing XI of Delhi Capitals is out

Delhi Capitals XI: P Shaw, S Dhawan, S Iyer, R Pant, C Ingram, S Rutherford, K Paul, A Patel, A Mishra, I Sharma, T Boult 

15.30 IST: Rajasthan Royals win toss, opt to bat against Delhi Capitals in New Delhi

Brief Preview: Their playoffs berth sealed, Delhi Capitals will aim for a big win against Rajasthan Royals to enhance their chances for a second-place finish when the two teams clash in their final IPL league match on Saturday. The Capitals are already sweating over key pacer Kagiso Rabada's fitness as the South African pacer missed a game first time this season against Chennai Super Kings due to a stiff back on Wednesday. [Read full preview here]