New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) In a match filled with excitement, Delhi Capitals (DC) maintained their composure to secure a win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a nail-biting Super Over, rising to the top of the points table at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

On a challenging pitch, late innings contributions from captain Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Ashutosh Sharma salvaged DC from a difficult spot, allowing them to score a competitive 188/5. In response, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana threatened RR’s chances of victory with 51 runs each.

However, Mitchell Starc's exceptional final over, which saw him defend nine runs, forced the match into a Super Over, marking the first occurrence of this format in the IPL since 2022. Starc once again shone for DC in the Super Over, restricting RR to just 12 runs. Stubbs and KL Rahul managed to keep their cool, leading DC to a remarkable victory, their first of the current season in New Delhi.

During the Super Over, DC opted for Starc against Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag. The pair managed to hit a boundary each off him but were quickly run out on consecutive balls, setting DC a target of 12 runs.

Rahul secured two runs on the first ball, then hit a four off Sandeep Sharma, followed by a single. Stubbs then launched a six over deep mid-wicket to clinch a thrilling victory for DC, marking their fourth win in a Super Over throughout their IPL journey.

RR started their chase positively with Sanju Samson and Jaiswal hitting sixes off Mukesh Kumar. Jaiswal showcased his batting prowess with multiple boundaries against Mitchell Starc and continued to dominate the bowling attack. Despite being dropped on 20 by Ashutosh Sharma, Samson’s aggressive innings included two sixes and he reached 31 before leaving the field due to injury.

After RR completed their power-play at 63/0, Axar Patel struck by dismissing Riyan Parag with a slower ball. Jaiswal maintained his aggressive approach, reaching his fifty with a series of impressive shots before being caught out for 51.

Rana also contributed significantly, hitting a six and four off Axar, ultimately reaching his fifty in just 26 balls. However, Starc’s pinpoint yorker trapped Rana lbw for 51, giving DC a glimmer of hope.

Despite boundaries from Dhurv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer, Starc’s exceptional bowling in the final over meant that the match proceeded to a Super Over, which DC won amidst the cheers of their home crowd.

Earlier, RR bowled effectively, restricting DC to 111/4 in 15 overs. However, explosive innings from Axar, Stubbs, and Ashutosh Sharma in the final overs propelled DC to a total of 188/5.

Brief scores:

Delhi Capitals 188/5 in 20 overs (Abishek Porel 49, KL Rahul 38, Axar Patel 34; Jofra Archer 2-32, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-38) tied with Rajasthan Royals 188/4 in 20 overs (Nitish Rana 51, Yashasvi Jaiswal 51; Axar Patel 1-23, Kuldeep Yadav 1-33)

Super Over: RR 12/2 in five balls lost to DC 13/0 in four balls