Some big hitting at the end of their batting effort and an inspired bowling performance saw Delhi register a 46-run victory over Rajasthan and ascend to the top of the Indian T20 League standings.
Here are the key talking points from the contest:
Shimron's stellar night
Despite scoring just 46 runs through the first five matches, Delhi's think-tank continued to believe in Shimron Hetmyer's abilities and the West Indian finally delivered for the side, scoring 45 off just 24 balls to help his side post an excellent total of 184. Hetmyer came in to bat in rather dire circumstances with his team reeling at 79/4 in just the 10th over, but the Guyanese batsman did not hold back and went after the bowling attack, helping himself to his highest score of the season.
Tewatia the lone warrior
In a team housing some of the world's best players in Steve Smith, Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler, all-rounder Rahul Tewatia is emerging as the team’s most valuable player this season. The 27-year-old was brilliant with the ball, giving away just 20 runs in his four overs, also dismissing the dangerous Marcus Stoinis just when he was getting in his groove. Tewatia then batted valiantly, scoring 38 off 29 balls to keep his side in the hunt but ultimately couldn’t help his side avoid defeat. Irrespective of the result, Rajasthan will be pleased with the performance of their all-rounder.
Ashwin and Anrich annihilate Rajasthan
Defending 184, Delhi knew that the key to winning the contest was ensuring that they get both Steve Smith and Jos Buttler early in their innings, and they did just that, thanks to their pace-spin duo of Anrich Nortje and Ravichandran Ashwin. The spinner picked up the prized wicket of Buttler in the third over of the match while the speedster dismissed Smith in the ninth, breaking a budding partnership between the Australian and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The duo combined to give away just 47 runs in their eight overs - an economy of under six - which helped Delhi bundle Rajasthan out for just 138.
Samson's stuttering form
While nobody questions how incredibly talented Sanju Samson is, his inconsistent form has always been a bane on his CV and he’s showcasing it yet again during this season. He scored 159 runs in his first two outings with the bat this season but has since scored only 17 runs in four matches at an abysmal average of 4.25 and a strike rate of just 73.91. While be continues to be a mainstay in the Rajasthan line-up, his performances haven’t warranted the trust the team have shown in him.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Indian T20 League
