Rishabh Pant’s carnage helps DC edge over GT in last-ball thriller

A thrilling performance by Delhi Capitals (DC) players secured them a narrow four-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 40th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, held at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting target of 225 runs set by DC, Gujarat Titans had a rocky start, losing their captain Shubman Gill early for just six runs. Despite the setback, Sai Sudarshan and Wriddhiman Saha quickly rallied, pushing the team’s score to 50 by the fourth over. The pair forged a 50-run partnership before Saha fell for 39 off 25 balls in the 10th over.

Sudarshan reached his half-century but was dismissed shortly after for a brisk 65 runs, which included seven boundaries and two sixes. Following his departure, the middle order struggled to maintain momentum, with David Miller providing some resistance with a quickfire 55 from 23 balls before being dismissed in the 18th over.

Despite needing 19 runs in the final over, GT fell short, managing only 14 runs, and ended their chase at 220/9. The DC bowlers, led by Rasikh Salam who picked up two wickets and conceded 44 runs, were crucial in securing the win. Kuldeep Yadav also contributed significantly with two wickets.

Earlier, DC had a mixed start batting first, with Jake Fraser McGurk and Prithvi Shaw opening. After a shaky beginning, McGurk was dismissed early. In an unconventional move, Axar Patel was promoted up the order and seized the opportunity, scoring a rapid 66 runs. Rishabh Pant also smashed a quick half-century, helping DC set a challenging total of 224/4.

The match’s finale was marked by Tristan Stubbs’s crucial boundary saves and Pant’s explosive batting in the final overs, which ultimately set the stage for DC’s win.