Delhi wins by eight wickets against Rajasthan
Mitchell Marsh's all-around heroics, David Warner's fifty, and Rishabh Pant's big hits in the final overs led Delhi Capitals to register an eight-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals.
After their bowlers restricted RR to 160/6, Marsh's 89 off 62 balls by hammering seven sixes and five boundaries and David Warner's unbeaten 52 helped the Capitals complete the match with 11 balls to spare.
Marsh had scalped two important wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Delhi lost Srikar Bharat in the second ball of their innings to Trent Boult. That was followed by a maiden over by Prasidh Krishna.
The introduction of Ashwin saw Marsh launching the off-spinner over long-off for a six. Marsh did the same to Prasidh, hitting him for a maximum over fine-leg to give the much-needed impetus to the DC innings.
By the time the 143-run stand was broken by Yuzvendra Chahal with the wicket of Marsh, the match was almost on Delhi's side.
Earlier, striking better than most of the top batters, premier off-spinner Ashwin recorded his first half-century in T20 cricket. Ashwin made a 38-ball 50, while Devdutt Padikkal struck 48 in 30 deliveries after RR was asked to bat first.
For Rajasthan, Buttler's early wicket was a major setback. Delhi restricted RR to 43/1 in Powerplay.
After his match-winning fifty in the previous game, Yashasvi Jaiswal managed to score 19.
Looking confident after having hit a few boundaries, including two maximums and a ramp shot over keeper Pant, Ashwin went along nicely and brought up his maiden IPL half-century.
However, the premier off-spinner got out soon after reaching the landmark with Marsh coming back into the attack to give DC the breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Padikkal smashed Axar Patel for two sixes one over deep backyard point and another over long-on.
As the DC players rejoiced, Kuldeep Yadav was seen walking off the ground holding his left shoulder, having hurt himself while going for a catch in the previous over.
Riyan Parag hit Nortje for a massive six before Sakariya cut short his brief stay in the middle, and Padikkal too followed suit.
(Inputs from PTI)
