Star Performer: Stoinis assault flattens RCB

Marcus Stoinis showed Royal Challengers Bangalore what they are missing with another match-winning performance with the bat.

Stoinis, who was not retained by RCB for this season, was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 4.8 crore as they beat some tough bidding from the Rajasthan Royals at the players auction. And the Australian all-rounder is proving to be worth every penny.

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He starred with both bat and ball in Delhi's tournament opener against Kings XI Punjab. He hit a quickfire half-century and then helped Delhi defend just one run from the final three deliveries with a brilliant final over, to take the game into the Super Over where they eventually prevailed thanks to Kagiso Rabada.

It was Stoinis at his destructive best yet again on Monday, October 5, as he took the RCB bowling apart in the final few overs.

Promoted ahead of Shimron Hetmyer at No 5, Stoinis showed a postive intent right from the start. He pulled Moeen Ali for a six over midwicket and a four straight down the ground, in the 14th over to help Delhi seize the momentum.

Navdeep Saini was smashed for a six and couple of fours in the following over. The Delhi all-rounder, on 30, got a lifeline when Yuzvendra Chahal put down a straightforward catch running to his left at deep midwicket.

He made Delhi pay for that lapse as he raced to his 50 from just 24 balls, with a four off Mohammed Siraj through square leg.

Stoinis put on 89 runs from just 43 balls for the fourth wicket with Rishabh Pant, who made 37 from 25 balls, to help Delhi post a huge 196/4 in their 20 overs.

RCB's batsmen could never got going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals to finish on 137/9 and suffer a 59-run thrashing.