Two more points for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) following their 16-run win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday night at the Wankhede push them up to the number 3 spot in the points table with 8 points in 6 matches.
These two points, however, looked in Delhi Capitals’ bag at a number of phases in the game but RCB managed to hold their nerves better and had someone standing up to bail them out of trouble.
At 40/3, with the top three dismissed, RCB needed someone – they got Glenn Maxwell, who scored 55 off 34 balls before getting out. At the score of 92/5 with the Australian back in the hut, the veteran Dinesh Karthik, who has been in sublime touch this season, stood up again with a thunderous innings of 66 from 34 balls taking the final total to 189.
A fifty-run opening partnership between David Warner and Prithvi Shaw forced RCB on the backfoot with conditions getting easier for batting.
As it felt that DC are running away with the game, Mohammed Siraj bounced out Shaw before Wanindu Hasaranga trapped Warner (66 off38) lbw and dragged things back to parity, helped by Mitchell Marsh’s scratch knock.
Rishabh Pant stood between victory and loss and was getting into his groove with some big – one-handed too – hits. He was 34 off 16 and, with dew, an off-day for Harshal Patel, and a leaky Siraj, Pant was set to take DC home. Until Virat Kohli leapt high in the air, timing his jump to perfection, and plucked a stunning one-handed catch to end Pant’s innings, effectively killing DC’s hopes.
Renowned journalist Ayaz Memon lauded RCB for making a comeback everytime it felt that they had been left behind in the game. He was impressed by RCB players’ ability to grind out in difficult moments and eventually emerge victoriously.
“Such an important win for RCB, fighting the odds with grit, conviction and skill. Recovered from a crisis to post a good score. Even so, DC looked likely winners with Warner and Pant showing excellent touch. But RCB’s bowling and fielding rose splendidly to the occasion,” Ayaz Memon tweeted.
Such an important win for RCB, fighting the odds with grit, conviction and skill. Recovered from a crisis to post a good score. Even so, DC looked likely winners with Warner and Pant showing excellent touch. But RCB’s bowling and fielding rose splendidly to the occasion
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 16, 2022
