Can KL Rahul's stunning 112 not out lead Delhi Capitals to victory?

New Delhi, May 18 (NationPress) KL Rahul excelled in his new opener position, scoring a remarkable 112 not out and propelling the Delhi Capitals to an impressive total of 199/3 in their allotted 20 overs against the Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

On a somewhat slower pitch, Rahul displayed his superb strokeplay, achieving his spectacular score of 112 not out off 65 balls, marking his fifth IPL century. His innings featured 14 fours and four sixes, making him the first batter to score IPL centuries for three different teams, following his previous successes with the Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.

In addition to being the batting powerhouse for his team, Rahul ensured a competitive score that would test the strength of GT's top order. He received valuable support from his teammates - Abishek Porel contributed a brisk 30 off 19 balls, captain Axar Patel scored 25 off 16 balls with two fours and a six, and Tristan Stubbs remained not out with 21 off 10 balls.

After being asked to bat first, Rahul showcased his talent by striking two boundaries in the first over off Mohammed Siraj—one through a misfield and the other from a precise backfoot cut. With Faf du Plessis struggling against GT’s bowlers and getting caught at mid-on off Arshad Khan, Rahul took charge.

When Siraj bowled short and wide, Rahul seized the opportunity, executing two boundaries with ease. Against returning bowler Kagiso Rabada, Rahul’s exceptional skills shone as he cleverly maneuvered a short ball for a six over square leg.

Moments later, Rabada offered some room, allowing Rahul to carve a boundary over point, followed by a towering six down the ground, accumulating 17 runs in the final power-play over, with DC finishing that phase at 45/1.

Rahul proactively rotated the strike against Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan, sweeping the latter for a boundary to reach his fifty in just 35 balls, much to the delight of the home fans. Luck favored Rahul as R Sai Kishore failed to catch a top-edge, resulting in another boundary.

Rahul astounded everyone by backing away and lofting a half-volley from the pacer for six. He then accelerated his scoring, hitting a trio of boundaries off Kishore—a powerful straight drive, a flick that Rabada mismanaged, and an edge that found its way through the vacant first slip.

Despite being less active in the last four overs, Rahul managed a lofted off-drive for six against Prasidh, before pulling him powerfully to achieve his century, reveling in the applause from a jubilant crowd. He capped off the innings with reverse-paddles and drives against Siraj, setting GT a challenging chase.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 199/3 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 112 not out, Abishek Porel 30; Arshad Khan 1-7, Prasidh Krishna 1-40) against Gujarat Titans