TATA IPL 2024: Ishant Shines with 3-34, DC Overcomes LSG by 19 Runs in Thriller
Ishant Sharma, the experienced fast bowler, claimed figures of 3-34 as Delhi Capitals held off a late scare from Arshad Khan to secure a 19-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in Match 64 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Following impressive half-centuries by Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs, DC posted a formidable total of 208/4. Ishant's stellar performance early on saw LSG struggling at 44/4 in the fifth over. Despite a hard-hitting 61 by Nicholas Pooran, Arshad's unbeaten 58 posed a threat, but DC managed to maintain their lead.
However, Lucknow Super Giants fell short, reaching 189/9, while Delhi Capitals concluded their group stage campaign with a victory, eagerly awaiting the outcomes of other matches to determine their playoff fate. The outcome also confirms the qualification of Rajasthan Royals for the playoffs. Defending their total of 208, Impact Player Ishant Sharma wreaked havoc on the LSG top-order during the Power Play. K.L. Rahul's attempt to loft an Ishant outswinger resulted in a mistimed shot, offering a catch to cover point. Quinton de Kock followed suit, miscuing a lofted shot to mid-on, becoming Ishant's next victim.
Marcus Stoinis danced down the pitch on Axar Patel’s first ball to loft but missed the delivery which turned enough and was stumped easily. Pooran injected some momentum into LSG’s innings by hitting Axar for two fours and as many sixes over the shorter boundary area. Though Pooran hit two more sixes and a four, including a reverse-sweep off Kuldeep Yadav, he wasn’t getting support from the other end as Ishant trapped Hooda lbw, while Ayush Badoni toe-ended a loft to long-off against Tristan Stubbs.
Despite Nicholas Pooran's valiant efforts, who scored consecutive boundaries off Gulbadin Naib and reached his half-century in just 20 balls, his aggressive innings came to an end in the 12th over when Axar Patel made a brilliant diving catch at cover off Mukesh Kumar's bowling. The momentum shifted further in Delhi Capitals' favor when Krunal Pandya was stumped off Kuldeep Yadav, suggesting that DC was on track for a comfortable victory.
However, Arshad Khan had different plans, dispatching Kuldeep Yadav for a boundary and a six each before repeating the same treatment against Ishant Sharma. Utilizing powerful strokes, Arshad intensified the pressure on Delhi Capitals by smashing Khaleel Ahmed for two sixes and a four. Yudhvir Singh also contributed by striking a boundary and a six off Rasikh Salam before being caught at long-off off Khaleel's bowling. Arshad continued his aggressive approach, hitting Rasikh for a six down the ground and achieving his fifty in just 25 balls, thus keeping Lucknow Super Giants in contention by reducing the equation to 29 runs off 12 balls. Ravi Bishnoi was run out by a throw from Jake Fraser-McGurk in the deep, while Mukesh Kumar conceded only six runs in the 19th over. Rasikh Salam effectively executed fuller and slower deliveries to defend 23 runs in the final over, securing Delhi Capitals a narrow victory.
