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Scorching powerplay spells from Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar helped defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bundle out hosts Delhi Capitals (DC) for just 75 runs in 16.3 overs at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.
DC was down and out at 8/6 within the first four overs. But it was a valuable knock from Abishek Porel (30 in 33 balls, with three fours) and brief cameos from David Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12) that gave the score some respectability as DC managed to go past their opponent's record of the lowest IPL total ever (49). Putting DC to bat first, Bhuvneshwar Kumar got RCB off to a dream start, uprooting debutant Sahil Parakh's middle-stump for a two-ball duck. DC was 0/1 in 0.2 overs. In the next over, Josh Hazlewood started by getting the crucial wicket of KL Rahul, who top-edged a pull attempt into the hands of Jitesh Sharma for just one, while Sameer Rizvi also nicked one to Jitesh on first ball itself. DC was 2/3 in 1.2 overs. Tristan Stubbs released some pressure with a four. However, in next over, he poked at a Bhuvneshwar outswinger, caught by Devdutt Padikkal at slips for a three-ball five. Skipper Axar Patel was also adjudged to be caught behind by Jitesh for a three-ball duck. DC had an absolute horror movie of a start, at 7/5 in 2.4 overs. Hazlewood got his third in the third over, as Nitish Rana tried avoiding a bumper, but the ball got some glove on it and went into Padikkal's hands at gully. DC was 9/6 in 3.5 overs, engulfed by a tsunami of wickets. At the end of the power play, DC was 13/6, with David Miller and Abishek Porel at the crease. This was only the second instance of a team losing six wickets within the powerplay in IPL history, after Kochi Tuskers Kerala slumped to 29/6 against Deccan Chargers back in the 2011 edition, as per a stat from CricViz. Miller and Porel started to build a partnership, getting four each against Rasikh Salam Dar in the seventh over. In the ninth over, Miller tried to dominate the young pacer with two fours, but Rasikh managed to have the last laugh, getting Miller's toe-end of the bat and the ball landed safely in Jitesh's hands again. Miller was gone for an 18-ball 19. DC was 43/7 in nine overs. At the end of 10 overs, DC was 46/7, with Porel (18*) and Kyle Jamieson (1*) unbeaten. A six sailing over deep square leg by Kyle Jamieson helped DC bring the 50-run mark in 10.2 overs and he scored a four too. However, he became Krunal's victim for a 13-ball 12, trapped lbw, with DC at 62/8 in 12.3 overs. Suyash Sharma bowled Kuldeep Yadav through the gates for 10-ball three, with DC down to 71/9 in 15.4 overs. Hazlewood ended Porel's resistance at 33-ball 30, cleaning up DC for 75 in 16.3 overs. Hazlewood's 4/12 in 3.3 overs and Bhuvneshwar's 3/5 in three overs were the highlights, while Krunal, Rasikh and Suyash also got a wicket each. (ANI)
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