Rahul's 112* sets Gujarat Titans 200 to win

KL Rahul's fifth IPL hundred took Delhi Capitals (DC) to 199 for 3 against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Opening the innings, Rahul scored 112 not out off 65 balls, studded with 14 fours and four sixes, and became the first batter to score hundreds for three different IPL teams. Previously, he has scored hundreds for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.

DC had a slow start, though, after being sent in. Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan stuck to good length and gave little room with the new ball. In the first four overs, there were 15 dot balls. Faf du Plessis, who tried to break the shackles and charged at Arshad, was caught at mid-on by Siraj. He made 5 off ten balls.

After five overs, DC were 28 for 1. Rahul then injected momentum into the innings by hitting Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in the last over of the powerplay. During that over, Rahul also completed 8000 runs in T20 cricket. Reaching there in 224 innings, he was the third-fastest, behind only Chris Gayle (213) and Babar Azam (218).

With a four off Rashid Khan, Rahul brought up his fifty, his fourth of the season and coming off 35 balls. As a result, DC reached 81 for 1 after ten overs.

R Sai Kishore had Abishek Porel caught behind for 30 off 19, after being hit for a six previous ball. That brought an end to a 90-run stand in 8.4 overs. But luck was on DC's side, especially Rahul's. In the 14th over, he got three fours off R Sai Kishore's first three balls, all through luck. The first one was drilled back and went through Sai Kishore's hand. Rabada misfielded the next and then an outside edge sped past short third.

Axar took apart Sai Kishore in the 16th over, a strange call on Shubman Gill's behalf to give Sai Kishore that over given Axar's excellent record against spin this season. That over went for 15. Prasidh Krishna returned in the next over and dismissed Axar with his second ball.

But Rahul and Stubbs added 48 off 22 balls in an unbroken stand to set GT a target of 200. With no dew so far, GT has their task cut out for them.