IPL 2025: Late Heroics from Axar Patel and Stubbs Lift Delhi Capitals to 188/5
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Synopsis
In a thrilling IPL 2025 match, Delhi Capitals posted 188/5, thanks to late contributions from Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs. The duo's efforts helped DC recover from a difficult position against Rajasthan Royals at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Key Takeaways
- Axar Patel scored a quick 34 off 14 balls.
- Tristan Stubbs matched with 34 runs off 18 deliveries.
- Delhi Capitals finished strong with 77 runs in the last five overs.
- Abishek Porel was the top scorer with 49 runs.
- Rajasthan Royals bowled well, restricting DC early.
New Delhi, April 16 (NationPress) Late heroics from captain Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs saved Delhi Capitals (DC) from a challenging situation, allowing them to accumulate an impressive 188/5 in 20 overs against Rajasthan Royals during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Wednesday.
This marks the first instance since 2023 that a score exceeding 200 was not achieved in IPL matches held in New Delhi. On a pitch that was slow and occasionally unpredictable, RR bowled exceptionally well, keeping DC restricted to 111/4 in 15 overs.
However, after that, Axar entered the fray and struck a remarkable 34 off 14 deliveries, while Stubbs mirrored this with 34 runs off 18 balls. Ashutosh Sharma contributed an unbeaten 15, as their collective efforts propelled DC to secure 77 runs in the final five overs.
Opting to bat first, Jake Fraser-McGurk ignited the innings by taking on Jofra Archer with two boundaries in the opening over. Abishek Porel showcased his prowess against Tushar Deshpande by hitting four boundaries and a six in a 23-run second over, with a superb wristy flick sailing over the deep-backward square-leg fence being the highlight.
Nonetheless, following that aggressive spell, RR made a comeback. Fraser-McGurk was caught off guard by Archer’s speed and lobbed a catch to mid-off. Karun Nair was then run out by a precise underarm throw from Sandeep Sharma without scoring after a mix-up with Porel.
With Sandeep and Maheesh Theekshana maintaining their grip on the game, apart from a full toss from the latter that KL Rahul hit for four, DC concluded their power-play at 46/2. Following this, RR continued to exert pressure, especially with Wanindu Hasaranga bowling slower deliveries that found grip, particularly with his googly.
Rahul, however, kept DC in the game by lofting Deshpande for a six over long-off, before hitting Theekshana for a four and a six. But in an attempt to tackle Archer’s leg-cutter, he failed to lift the ball sufficiently and was caught at deep mid-wicket for 38. Porel’s ambition to clear the boundary against a slow Hasaranga resulted in him miscuing a lofted shot to long-off for 49.
Axar signaled a shift in momentum when he pulled, hammered, and slogged Hasaranga for two fours and a six, before witnessing Riyan Parag drop Stubbs on 12 at long-off during a 19-run 16th over. He then shifted across to pull a full toss from Theekshana for six, followed by back-to-back boundaries.
Theekshana, however, had the final say by having Axar caught at long-off for a quickfire 34 off 14 balls. Ashutosh Sharma effectively utilized Archer’s pace to guide him behind square on the off-side twice, while Stubbs executed a scoop for another boundary, accumulating 16 runs in the 19th over.
With Sandeep bowling four wides and a no-ball, Stubbs drove DC past 180 with a whipped four and a slogged six, before being dropped by Theekshana on the final ball of the innings, resulting in 19 runs off an 11-ball final over.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 188/5 in 20 overs (Abishek Porel 49, KL Rahul 38; Jofra Archer 2-32, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-38) against Rajasthan Royals
