IPL 2019 Eliminator, DC vs SRH: Rishabh Pant’s blast ousts Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals one step from final

Rashid Khan hasn’t had too many good outings in his last five IPL games, even going at 11 an over in the last match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. But like a true big-match player, he raised his game a few notches to make Delhi Capitals stutter towards the end of their middle-overs phase.

Rashid’s battle against Rishabh Pant was expected to decide the course of this Eliminator between SRH and DC. While it didn’t pan out as the leg-spinner barely got to bowl at him, the wicket-keeper batsman saw the blows inflicted by his rival from the other end.

From 111/3 in 14 overs with Delhi cruising thanks to ballistic batting by opener Prithvi Shaw (56 off 38b), the scales were evened after 15 overs, following a double-wicket maiden by Rashid, who removed big-hitters Colin Munro and Axar Patel.

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He couldn’t get rid of Pant though, who hit Rashid’s Afghan teammate Mohammed Nabi for a six in the next over to keep the march to the 163-run target alive. Pant then turned it on against Basil Thampi, picking 20 of the first four balls of the 18th over – it went for 22 runs -- tilting the scales in Delhi’s favour.

Delhi eventually completed a thrilling two-wicket win with a ball to spare, reaching 165/8 after Pant was out for 49 (20b).

Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan put on 55 without loss in the powerplay overs. Despite Dhawan falling, DC maintained a decent run rate in the next six overs, adding 42 without losing many wickets unlike Hyderabad, who lost the match during the middle overs.

Against Delhi’s 42, Hyderabad had managed just 28 from overs 6-12 and kept losing wickets thereafter before Vijay Shankar played shots all around the ground to take them past 160.

Though he lasted just 11 balls, the all-rounder ensured SRH reach a competitive total and sent out a message about his ability to the Indian team management, who plan to send him in at No 4 at the World Cup.

His 36-run partnership off 16 balls with Nabi (20 off 13) soothed the nerves in the Sunrisers camp after Capitals had strangled them in the middle overs with spin.

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Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, in particular, took 1/10 in his first three overs during a period that saw SRH lose track.

Mishra came on with Capitals having conceded 54 in the powerplay overs. He bowled 10 dot balls in the first three overs, mostly to Manish Pandey.

SRH, despite Martin Guptill, Pandey and skipper Kane Williamson at the crease, found it hard to extend the powerplay momentum set by Guptill with his 19-ball 36. Mishra got rid of Guptill through a slog sweep for a crucial breakthrough.

Axar Patel at the other end lent support. SRH, having made 54 in the first six overs, struggled in the next six. Williamson and Pandey had no answer against spin and fell trying to force the pace against the returning pace bowlers.

At 111/4 after 16th over, it looked like DC would have it easy. But Shankar defied them with a hook, a punched cover drive, a lofted hit over long off and a big hit over mid-wicket.