Delhi Capitals were dealt a setback during their chase of 176 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru as skipper Axar Patel had to leave the field midway due to cramps. Axar looked in good touch when he walked in, striking a couple of boundaries to keep the chase on track. However, trouble first surfaced in the 14th over when he went down in visible discomfort, prompting the physio to rush out and briefly halt play. Though he managed to get back on his feet and continue, it was clear he wasn’t at his best.
The issue resurfaced in the 16th over, and this time the pain proved harder to shake off. The physio, along with Ashutosh Sharma, hurried out again to assist their captain. With the cramps worsening, Axar was eventually forced to retire hurt and walk off the field, struggling to move freely.
In a notable moment amid the tension of the chase, RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya stepped in to help Axar go off the field, alongside Ashutosh. The gesture stood out as a fine example of sportsmanship, even as the match hung in the balance, and it might also help RCB earn some fairplay points.
However, RCB lost the match in the end, courtesy of a thrilling finish from David Miller’s willow with two sixes and a four in the final over to seal the match for the Capitals. It was a tough loss to swallow for RCB as they bounced back well in the match before Romario Shepherd failed to hold his nerves in the end.
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Earlier, a fluent 63 from Phil Salt wasn’t enough to lift Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a commanding total, as Delhi Capitals kept their batting line-up in check and limited them to 175 for eight. Put in to bat, RCB never really found their rhythm early on, with the Capitals bowlers maintaining tight lines on a slightly sluggish Chinnaswamy surface through the opening overs.
Virat Kohli chipped in with 19 during a 52-run opening stand with Salt, who brought up his half-century off 38 balls. Kohli looked in decent touch for a brief period, striking a few crisp shots, before falling to Lungi Ngidi. That dismissal triggered a slowdown, with RCB struggling to build momentum through the middle phase.
Delhi edge Bengaluru in Chinnaswamy
Delhi Capitals capitalised well, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav picking up two wickets each, while the pacers tightened the screws at the death to prevent any late flourish. In reply, the visitors completed the chase of 176 with a ball to spare. KL Rahul (57) and Tristan Stubbs (60 not out) made significant contributions for DC with the bat, but it was Miller’s (22 not out in 10 balls) two maximums that sealed the match in his team’s favour.