LSG vs DC IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals recorded an easy six-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants in the 26th match of the Indian Premier League 2024 on Friday. Kuldeep Yadav's three-wicket spell restricted Lucknow to 167 and then a quickfire fifty from debutant Jake Fraser-McGurk helped Delhi chase the target with 11 balls remaining.
A defeat ended Lucknow's three-match winning streak as they suffered their maiden defeat of the season at Ekana Cricket Stadium and a win lifted Delhi from the bottom place to ninth position in the points table after six games. The defeat also emerged as the first loss after 13 games while defending 160-plus totals for the Super Giants.
Kuldeep Yadav returned from his groin injury after missing the last three games while the Australian youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk made his highly-anticipated IPL debut. Lucknow handed debut to pacer Arshad Khan who replaced injured speedster Mayank Yadav.
Lucknow struggled for a positive start as Khaleel Ahmed dismissed Quinton de Kock and struggling Devdutt Padikkal early in the powerplay. Then the returning Kuldeep dismissed Marcus Stoinins and Nicholas Pooran on the back-to-back deliveries to put Lucknow under pressure.
Captain KL Rahul scored a crucial 39 runs off just 22 balls but failed to convert it into a big knock as LSG lost the first seven wickets on 94. Ayush Badoni, batting at no.7, and debutant Arshad Khan then pulled off an unbeaten 73-run stand for the eighth wicket to help Lucknow post a challenging total of 167/7 in 20 overs.
Badoni top-scored with 55* off just 35 balls, his maiden fifty in the IPL 2024 and Arshad remained unbeaten on 20 off 16 balls. Kuldeep took three wickets for 20 while Khaleel Ahmed picked two big wickets for 41.
Defending 167, last game's hero Yash Thakur dismissed David Warner to balance the game in the fourth over. But Delhi quickly managed to regain control with Prithvi Shaw and Fraser-McGurk adding quick 39 runs for the second wicket.
Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Prithvi Shaw in the seventh over to raise LSG's hopes for a comeback. But Fraser-McGurk and Rishabh Pant kept the momentum with Delhi with a match-defining 77-run partnership for the third wicket.
Fraser-McGurk, 22, displayed his famous big-hitting skills by opening his account with a six and also smashed Krunal Pandya for three consecutive sixes. He registered a 32-ball fifty to make a successful IPL debut but was dismissed by Naveen-ul-Haq in the 15th over.
Delhi also lost Rishabh, who scored 41 runs off 24 balls, after a brilliant stumping from KL Rahul in the 16th over but Delhi avoided any late drama with Tristan Stubbs finishing the game with a huge six in the 19th over. Kuldeep claimed the Player of the Match award for his 3/20 figures.
Lucknow Super Giants playing XI: Quinton de Kock (substituted by Deepak Hooda), KL Rahul (c & wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Arshad Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur.
Delhi Capitals playing XI: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed (substituted by Abishek Porel).
