A sensational bowling display followed by a measured chase saw Delhi score an easy six-wicket win over Bangalore and seal their place in Qualifier 1 against Mumbai in the 2020 Indian T20 League.
Here are the key talking points from the contest:
A masterclass from the veterans
Chasing a modest total, Delhi lost Prithvi Shaw in just the second over, sending jitters in their dugout, but their two most experienced batsmen, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane batted beautifully to ensure victory for their side. The duo forged a 78-run partnership that broke Bangalore’s resilience and set Delhi on course for an easy chase. While Dhawan smashed 54 off 41 balls, Rahane scored a measured 60 off 46 that reduced the asking rate to a run a ball. A fantastic chase set up by two wily veterans.
Pace attack does the trick
Delhi's pace duo of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have been sensational all season long and in their final league game of the season, they yet again came to the fore, combining to pick five wickets in their eight overs. Nortje and Rabada picked up timely wickets, breaking every momentum-building partnership that Bangalore built and limiting them to just 152 on the scoreboard. A stellar display that sealed the second spot for Delhi.
Devdutt does it again
While the rest of Bangalore's batting order struggled to get going, opener Devdutt Padikkal was yet again on song for his side, scoring a valiant 50 off 41 that helped his side put a fighting total on the scoreboard. The youngster smashed five boundaries in a typically classy knock that saw him climb to third on the list of the league’s leading runscorers this season. With Bangalore guaranteed at least one more match, Padikkal could breach the 500 mark in his maiden Indian T20 League campaign, which would be a stellar achievement for the southpaw.
Victory in defeat
While Bangalore did lose this contest, they managed to bowl 19 overs before Delhi eventually reached the target. Bangalore had to ensure that they bowled at least 17.3 overs to stay ahead of Kolkata on net run rate and they cleared that mark by eight balls to qualify for the playoffs. They will now take on either Kolkata or Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League
