IPL 2023, DC VS RCB: Phil Salt Hurts Bangalore as Delhi Wins

Delhi Capitals (DC) registered a thumping win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 7 wickets and kept their hopes alive for the playoffs. Following the win over RCB, Captals is now 9th on the IPL 2023 points table. On the other hand, RCB remains in the fifth spot in the table, level on 10 points with four other teams.

RCB won the toss and opted to bat first, but their opening pair of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis got off to a slow start, scoring only 23 runs in the first 4 overs. Nevertheless, Faf picked up the pace and hit three fours in the fifth over, followed by a six and a four in the final over of the powerplay from Khaleel Ahmed, allowing RCB to reach 51/0 in 6 overs and achieve a 50-run partnership.

After the powerplay, the opening duo struggled to increase the scoring rate and were eventually separated in the 11th over after adding 82 runs. Mitchell Marsh dismissed Faf and Glenn Maxwell off consecutive deliveries, putting RCB in a difficult position. Mahipal Lomror took charge, while Kohli played a supporting role. Kohli scored his first fifty at home this season, but was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar for 55 in the 16th over, just as he was starting to accelerate. Lomror scored his first fifty of the season in just 26 balls. RCB completed their innings at 181/4 in 20 overs, setting a challenging target for their opponents.

IPL 2023, DC VS RCB: Delhi’s Top Order Stuns Faf and Co.

DC’s chase began with David Warner hitting a couple of boundaries off Mohammed Siraj’s first over, leading to 10 runs. Wanindu Hasaranga was brought in, but Warner hit him for a six over the square leg fence. DC reached 41/0 after 4 overs, and both added 60 runs in only 5 overs for the first wicket before Josh Hazlewood dismissed Warner for 22. Mitchell Marsh started to find his rhythm, hitting Hazlewood for a six and a four in the sixth over.

Phil Salt completed his fifty in just 23 balls, and Marsh departed in the 11th over after scoring 26 off 17 balls. Rilee Rossouw joined Phil Salt, who was eventually dismissed by Karn Sharma for 87(45). Axar Patel hit a six on his first ball, and Rossouw finished the match in style with a six over the mid-wicket fence off Glenn Maxwell. Delhi Capitals won the match by seven wickets, completing the daunting 182-run chase in just 16.4 overs.