Playing their final league game of the ongoing Indian Premier League season, the Delhi Capitals signed off from the Arun Jaitley stadium with a 19 run win over Lucknow Super Giants.
Though just mathematically, Delhi are still alive in the play-offs race.
After being invited to bat first at the high-scoring Arun Jaitley stadium, Abhishek Porel and Tristan Stubb's half-centuries gave the home side a winning total.
In reply, Nicholas Pooran and Arshad Khan dazzled with the willow but with lack of support, they failed to take their team over the line.
The best knocks of the DC vs LSG match in New Delhi on Wednesday, May 14, 2024:
Abhishek Porel
DC Opener Abhishek Porel cut loose after Jake Fraser-McGurk's dismissal for a duck.
After getting off the mark with a single in the second over, Porel launched a maximum off Mohsin Khan for his first six of the evening. He broke the shackles in the third over, smashing Arshad Khan for two back-to back-fours and then pulled the short ball over deep mid wicket for a six!
Porel then drove the ball sweetly through the covers, with a lovely follow through for a four as 21 runs came off the over.
Porel then punished Naveen-ul-Haq for two sixes as he used the pace to help the short ball on its way into the stands over fine leg. He raced to 39 off 14 balls.
Full toss on the leg side from Naveen and Porel helped it on its way to the fine leg boundary for a four.
Coming into the attack in the eighth over, Krunal Pandya went across Porel who just cut it past backward point to get to 49. He brought up his half-century off 21 balls with a single to mid wicket.
After the spinners came on Porel was down to singles and twos. He was finally dismissed by Naveen as he tried to pull the slower ball and holed out to Nicholas Pooran at deep mid wicket.
Scoring at 175.75, Porel's 33-ball 58 was peppered with five boundaries and four sixes.
Shai Hope
With the Capitals off to a rocky start, losing Fraser-McGurk in the very first over, Shai Hope walked in at No. 3. Getting off the mark with a couple off Arshad, Hope found the boundary ropes against Yudhvir Singh in the fourth over.
Hope hammered for two boundaries and a six to turn around DC's innings alongside Porel.
Hope was happy to take the singles and twos as the spinners kept it tight. Hope smashed a flat six over the non-striker for a six before being caught by Rahul for 38 off 27. Hope and Porel's 92 off 49 for the second wicket helped DC forget the early blow.
The pair scored 73 in the Powerplay to set the hosts up for a big total. Hope's 27-ball knock included three boundaries and two fours.
Tristan Stubbs
The South African batter has consistently impressed with his finishing abilities since joining Delhi Capitals this season.
And on Tuesday, he came into bat after Porel's dismissal, with the score reading 115 for 3 in 12 overs.
Captain Rishabh Pant hit three fours while Stubbs watched at the other end. Once Pant was gone, Stubbs took it on himself to take on the bowling and take to the attack he did.
He smashed Arshad Khan for a six and two back-to-back fours in the 16th over to show his intent.
Thereafter, there was no stopping him as he smashed Mohsin Khan for a six clearing long off.
In the next over, he smacked Naveen-ul-Haq for 21 runs -- 2-4-6-2-6-1 -- bringing up his 3rd half-century this season.
His attacking 57 not out off 25 balls at the back end helped DC go past the 200 run mark. Stubbs has proved worth every rupee of the Rs 50 lakh (Rs 5 million) spent on him at the auction.
Scoring at a sizzling rate of 228, Stubbs' unbeaten 25 ball 57 included three boundaries and four maximums.
Nicholas Pooran
With LSG reeling at 24/3 in 3.1 overs, Nicholas Pooran walked in at No. 5 with a massive job to do. And he instantly took charge of the chase as he got off the mark with a boundary off the first ball he faced and then hammered Axar for a six over deep square leg.
He hammered Axar for another boundary followed by a six over mid wicket to hammer him for 20 runs. Pooran meant business as he raced to 20 off just 5!
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Pooran went about his business as he next took on Mukesh Kumar in the final over of the Powerplay, hammering him for a maximum over mid wicket, followed by a boundary over fine leg.
Pooran took another six off Kuldeep, before hammering Gulbadin Naib for back-to-back boundaries. With it Pooran brought up his half-century off just 20 deliveries.
His knock threatened to take the match away from the Capitals, before Mukesh Kumar returned in the 12th over to end the West Indian's onslaught.
Striking at an entertaining rate of 225.92, Pooran's 27-ball 61 included six boundaries and four maximums.
Arshad Khan
Coming in at No. 8, Arshad Khan walked in after the fall of the big-hitting Nicholas Pooran. After getting off the mark with a single, Arshad found his first boundary early, as he smashed Kuldeep's length ball into the sightscreen for his first maximum of the evening.
In the next over, Arshad took runs off Ishant Sharma, who was DC's most successful bowler. Arshad first smashed a four down the ground and then dispatched Ishant's final delivery for a six over long on.
Arshad took the attack to Khaleel Ahmed in the 17th over, hammering him for two sixes and a boundary. After hooking the first maximum over square leg, Arshad clubbed the next one back over the bowler's head for a second six of the over.
Arshad then dissected short third and point for a boundary as he brought up fear in the DC camp with his onslaught.
Arshad smashed Rasikh Salam in the 18th over for a maximum, and once again this smashed into the sightscreen. Collecting two quick runs, Arshad brought up his maiden T20 half-century off 25 balls.
His knock almost snatched a win from the hosts, but shrewd bowling by Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam kept him quiet in the final two overs.
Arshad's unbeaten 33-ball 58 was studded with three boundaries and five maximums -- the most by any batter in the match. But his efforts went in vain as DC won by 19 runs.
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