In a nail-biting Match 8 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season Two, the New Delhi Tigers were defeated by the East Delhi Riders by seven wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. In pursuit of a target of 173, the Riders won with 10 balls remaining, reaching 174/3 in 18.2 overs. Their chase was characterised by a combination of level-headed execution and planned aggression, as they never allowed the target run rate to get out of hand, according to a DPL press release.
The best performer for the Riders was Arpit Rana, who anchored the innings with a level-headed and unbeaten 63 off 44 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes. His knock was a masterclass in controlling a chase, beginning cautiously before changing gears as the innings advanced. Sharing the opening with him, Sujal Singh gave a fast start, making 26 from 19 balls with four boundaries and a six, before being dismissed by Pankaj Jaswal to the catch of Keshav Dalal.
In response to the solid opening partnership, Hardik Sharma came in and made a rapid impact, whacking 30 runs in just 12 deliveries. His cameo consisted of five fours and a six, with him batting at a rampant strike rate of 250. But Himmat Singh was able to stop his rampage, taking his wicket. Himmat struck again shortly after, removing the Riders’ skipper and wicketkeeper, Anuj Rawat, who made a quick 16 off 9 balls with a four and a six.
Mayank Rawat then joined Rana and calmly guided the chase to completion, remaining unbeaten on 32 off 26 balls. His innings featured one four and three sixes, ensuring that the Riders crossed the finish line without further drama.
For the Tigers, the best bowler was Himmat Singh as he picked 2 for 26 in his three overs and dismissing two important middle-order batsmen. The rest of the bowling team, however, could not apply pressure and gave away runs at vital times.
Earlier in the night, the New Delhi Tigers had put up a fighting total of 172/6 after deciding to bat first. They utilised good batting conditions, with the wicket providing a consistent bounce and rewarding attacking strokes.
Opener Shivam Gupta set the platform with a measured 38 off 32 balls. He was well-supported by Dhruv Kaushik and skipper Himmat Singh, both of whom chipped in 24 runs each as the middle order applied pressure despite timely interventions by the Riders’ bowlers.
The actual cushion arrived during the death overs, thanks to Deepak Punia’s power-packed cameo. He battered 41 off just 15 balls, including three fours and four sixes. Aryan Dalal also chipped in with a useful 31 not out off 25, taking the Tigers home.
Among the bowlers of the Riders, Rounak Waghela played a superb spell, claiming 3 for 18 off four overs and putting the brakes on the middle stages of the innings. Akhil Chaudhary, Mayank Rawat, and Navdeep Saini pitched in with a single wicket each, although Saini was torn apart in the last overs, losing 52 runs in his spell.
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