NEW DELHI: Making a strong comeback, Rishabh Pant made a significant impact with a splendid fifty after the opening partnership of David Warner and Prithvi Shaw laid the groundwork for Delhi Capitals. Their collective efforts saw Delhi post a competitive total of 191 for 5 against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL clash in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Choosing to bat first, Warner and Shaw set the stage with a solid 93-run opening stand.However, the standout performance of the day came from Pant, whose blistering 32-ball 51 provided the much-needed momentum towards the end of the innings.
Pant, who returned to the tournament after recovering from a life-threatening road accident in December 2022, showcased his prowess with four boundaries and three maximums, marking his first fifty in 15 months.
Meanwhile, Warner, in prime form, hammered five boundaries and three sixes during his brisk 35-ball 52, securing his 110th T20 fifty and equalling Chris Gayle’s record for the most fifty-plus scores in T20s.
Playing his first game this season, Shaw, who hasn’t been able to live up to his immense talent, once again reminded everyone of his boundary-hitting skills, smashing two sixes and four boundaries in his 27-ball 43.
However, pacer Matheesha Pathirana produced a sensational catch to dismiss Warner and then returned to strike twice in three balls to bring CSK back into the game.
But Pant, who has looked good in his two earlier innings, bided his time initially and then exploded to take them close to a 200-total.
Mitchell Marsh too blasted two fours and a six in his 12-ball 18 cameo.
Earlier, while Tushar Deshpande used his variations to good use to give just eight in his first two overs, Deepak Chahar, who bowled his 3 overs in the powerplay, was milked by the DC openers.
It was mainly Warner who picked Chahar for the special treatment, depositing him twice into the stands on the leg side, punishing him for bowling into his pads.
He was particularly harsh on Chahar in the 5th over, as after a second six, he hit two fours on the off side to accumulate 18 off the over as DC made 42 in 5 overs.
Bowling the last over before powerplay, Mustafizur Rahman too was taken to the cleaners with Shaw hitting three successive fours as DC posted their highest powerplay score of 62-0 of this IPL.
Ravindra Jadeja was next welcomed with a six by Shaw before Warner pulled one across deep backward square leg for a boundary as 13 runs came off the over.
Pathirana bowled a good first over, hitting 145-plus consistently with his sling action.
However, Warner smacked Jadeja next over long-on before completing his fifty off 32 balls.
It took the brilliance of Pathirana to send him back as the Sri Lankan plucked the ball from thin air to complete a sensational catch, leaving Warner stunned as Mustafizur earned first blood.
Shaw smashed another six to take DC past the 100-run mark but Jadeja dismissed him next ball, inducing an edge as MS Dhoni did the rest for his 300th dismissal — the highest by a keeper in T20s.
With the two openers gone, the scoring rate dropped as skipper Pant struggled.
Pathirana then put up a show, uprooting the middle-stump of Marsh and then disturbing the timbers of Tristan Stubbs in a space of three balls to leave DC at 134 for 4 in 15 overs.
Pant then stepped up, plundering a four and a six off Mustafizur and then launched into Pathirana, clobbering him for a six and two fours in the 19th over before holing out in the deep.
(With PTI inputs)
Choosing to bat first, Warner and Shaw set the stage with a solid 93-run opening stand.However, the standout performance of the day came from Pant, whose blistering 32-ball 51 provided the much-needed momentum towards the end of the innings.
Pant, who returned to the tournament after recovering from a life-threatening road accident in December 2022, showcased his prowess with four boundaries and three maximums, marking his first fifty in 15 months.
Meanwhile, Warner, in prime form, hammered five boundaries and three sixes during his brisk 35-ball 52, securing his 110th T20 fifty and equalling Chris Gayle’s record for the most fifty-plus scores in T20s.
Playing his first game this season, Shaw, who hasn’t been able to live up to his immense talent, once again reminded everyone of his boundary-hitting skills, smashing two sixes and four boundaries in his 27-ball 43.
However, pacer Matheesha Pathirana produced a sensational catch to dismiss Warner and then returned to strike twice in three balls to bring CSK back into the game.
But Pant, who has looked good in his two earlier innings, bided his time initially and then exploded to take them close to a 200-total.
Mitchell Marsh too blasted two fours and a six in his 12-ball 18 cameo.
Earlier, while Tushar Deshpande used his variations to good use to give just eight in his first two overs, Deepak Chahar, who bowled his 3 overs in the powerplay, was milked by the DC openers.
It was mainly Warner who picked Chahar for the special treatment, depositing him twice into the stands on the leg side, punishing him for bowling into his pads.
He was particularly harsh on Chahar in the 5th over, as after a second six, he hit two fours on the off side to accumulate 18 off the over as DC made 42 in 5 overs.
Bowling the last over before powerplay, Mustafizur Rahman too was taken to the cleaners with Shaw hitting three successive fours as DC posted their highest powerplay score of 62-0 of this IPL.
Ravindra Jadeja was next welcomed with a six by Shaw before Warner pulled one across deep backward square leg for a boundary as 13 runs came off the over.
Pathirana bowled a good first over, hitting 145-plus consistently with his sling action.
However, Warner smacked Jadeja next over long-on before completing his fifty off 32 balls.
It took the brilliance of Pathirana to send him back as the Sri Lankan plucked the ball from thin air to complete a sensational catch, leaving Warner stunned as Mustafizur earned first blood.
Shaw smashed another six to take DC past the 100-run mark but Jadeja dismissed him next ball, inducing an edge as MS Dhoni did the rest for his 300th dismissal — the highest by a keeper in T20s.
With the two openers gone, the scoring rate dropped as skipper Pant struggled.
Pathirana then put up a show, uprooting the middle-stump of Marsh and then disturbing the timbers of Tristan Stubbs in a space of three balls to leave DC at 134 for 4 in 15 overs.
Pant then stepped up, plundering a four and a six off Mustafizur and then launched into Pathirana, clobbering him for a six and two fours in the 19th over before holing out in the deep.
(With PTI inputs)
