Another successful chase for Gujarat Titans
Yet again all boxes ticked by the defending champions: win the toss, bowl well, clinical chase. From the time Mohammed Shami seamed the first ball of the match to kiss the off stump - the bail didn't fall - they hardly put a foot wrong. Early movement from Mohammed Shami, middle-over hostility from Alzarri Joseph, legspin from Rashid Khan in the second half of the innings, their bowling never let up. With the bat, they started quickly, then lost wickets, but never fell behind the rate when they rebuilt. And then David Miller finished it off with 31 off 16. Eleven balls remained as they completed the win.
Titans move to four points, and Delhi Capitals have none after two matches. We leave you with that. Do join us for more tomorrow.
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Sudharsan gets fifty
Sai Sudharsan was not even in the first XI last game. He got subbed in because Kane Williamson was injured. I'd think GT's original plan was to use Abhinav Manohar, the bigger hitter, as the Impact Sub, but Williamson's injury gave Sudharsan a chance. He did a good job at No. 3, and was part of the first XI tonight. It appears now that Sudharsan might do the Williamson role, and the Impact Sub might be a toss-up between Vijay Shankar and Manohar depending on the match situation.
Sudharsan went pretty much a run a ball most of his innings, but then hit two sixes off Anrich Nortje - both behind square, using his pace - to now be 59 off 46. GT need just 12 off three overs now.
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How difficult it is to defend
DC have worked hard ball after ball, taken a wicket, then built up pressure for two overs, and have somehow brought their win probability up to 38%. Then David Miller hits a six, and the win probability for DC comes down to 22% in one ball.
Now T20 matches are not played on Cricinfo's forecaster, but it is a pretty accurate picture of the match. In such chases, all it takes is one six to turn the game around after you have spent overs building up pressure.
PS: Miller manages one more six and four in the over, and now GT need just 26 off 24. They are 96% favourites to win now. Nortje and Kuldeep have one over each.
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Shankar out, time for time-out
Vijay Shankar plays all around a full slower ball from Mitchell marsh, and DC finally have a breakthrough. GT are 107 for 4, and need 56 off 40. However, DC have only one Anrich Nortje over left. Axar Patel, who hasn't bowled tonight, is unlikely to bowl this late on a dewy ground. The two Kuldeep Yadav overs become big ones.
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GT on track
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Khaleel gets Pandya
Khaleel Ahmed ends the powerplay with a beauty to keep DC in the game. Around the wicket, hard length, holding its line against the angle, and Hardik Pandya is squared up. Edged through to the keeper. DC 54 for 3.
Vijay Shankar comes in as the supersub. No Abhinav Manohar. Also time for Mitch Marsh to resume bowling.
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Pace like fire
Anrich Nortje is on a roll. 149ks, on a length, seaming in, hitting the pad of Shubman Gill and then the off stump. Nortje 1.1-0-8-2. GT 36 for 2 in 4.1.
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Hectic start to the chase
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That last one right there is the first ball from Anrich Nortje this IPL. High pace, seaming in, top of off via the pad. GT 22 for 1 in 2.1
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Khaleel into the game
As expected, an Impact Sub right at the start of the innings for DC. Khaleel Ahmed replaces Sarfaraz Khan, and takes the new ball.
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Axar carries DC to 162
Thanks to Axar Patel's 36 off 22, and because of some help in the pitch, Delhi Capitals will take the 162 but it is still the lowest target of this IPL so far. Ever since the early spell when the bowlers couldn't control the early movement, GT have been superb with the ball, especially Alazarri Joseph with his aggression in the middle overs. Rashid Khan put in figures of 4-0-31-3.
Sarfaraz Khan says because of the unseasonal rain leading up to the match, the conditions have changed. The ball moved sideways, and also went up and down. However, there is dew now, which might hand GT the advantage.
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GT, watch the last balls
38 Number of runs, out of 126, that have come the last ball of the overs. That's 30% of the total from less than a sixth (or less) of the total balls bowled
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DC still in it
They have lost five wickets, one of their main batters is stuck at under a run a ball, but DC still have 126 for 5 at the start of the death overs. If they get another 40 runs, it won't be an easy total provided the pitch helps the new ball in the second innings just as it did in the first. Axar Patel is the key man, unbeaten on 17 off 11.
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Finally, Rashid Khan
0 Number of times Rashid Khan has bowled this late - 13th over - in a T20 innings. Only once before today has he been introduced after the 10th over. And he immediately has the wicket of Abishek Porel, who swings across the line. DC 101 for 5 in 12.2 overs.
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Pant at the stadium
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Joseph rips the heart of DC's batting out
Everything about the first ball from Alzarri Joseph to Rilee Rossouw is perfect. It kicks off just short of a length, the line is middle and off, and takes the shoulder of the bat. Even the point fielder is at least 6-8 yards in off the circle. And that is the only reason why the catch is taken. It is 67 for 4 now.
And while debutant Abishek Porel survives the hat-trick ball, Jospeh has even Sarfaraz Khan on the head with a bouncer. No Rashid Khan used in the first 10 overs. Such is the pitch.
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Warner's struggle comes to an end
A mixed bag of an innings for David Warner. He struggled against the new ball but somehow got going. Four of his runs should have been leg-byes, but hey, he is not complaining. Then when it looked like he was settling in, he has chopped Alzarri Joseph on. This tracks has a bit in it. Seam movement, uneven bounce, inconsistent pace. DC 67 for 3 in 8.2 overs, Warner gone for 37 off 32.
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Shake it like Shami
The figures say 3-0-29-2. It could have been three had the bail trickled off when Mohammed Shami hit the wicket first ball of the match. However, he has taken out Prithvi Shaw and Mitch Marsh with the new ball. DC 42 for 2 in five overs.
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Shami gets Shaw
Mohammed Shami has played all the hits in his new-ball spell. Lovely seam away from David Warner from over the wicket, kissing the stump without removing the bail. Seam in from around the wicket. Wides as seam went wild. One short and wide, and cut away by Prithvi Shaw. Eventually he has Shaw caught on the pull. DC 29 for 1 in 2.4 overs.
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Miller, Nortje in; Titans bowl
So, as expected David Miller and Anrich Nortje walk into their sides as soon as they join the groups. Miller replaces the injured Kane Williamson for Gujarat Titans. Nortje takes Rovman Powell in the Delhi Capitals' XI.
The sides have made other changes. Vijay Shankar makes way for Sai Sudharsan, who made a good contribution as the Impact Player last match.
Capitals have gone to a specialist wicketkeeper after flirting with Sarfaraz Khan last match. Abishek Porel makes his IPL debut along with Aman Khan, who was the Impact Player last match. Out go the two left-arm seamers Khaleel Ahmed and Chetan Sakariya.
And, oh by the way, Hardik Pandya won the toss, and Titans have decided to chase.
Delhi Capitals PP Shaw, DA Warner*, MR Marsh, SN Khan, RR Rossouw, Aman Hakim Khan, AR Patel, Abishek Porel†, Kuldeep Yadav, A Nortje, Mukesh Kumar
Gujarat Titans WP Saha†, Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, HH Pandya*, DA Miller, R Tewatia, Rashid Khan, JB Little, AS Joseph, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami
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T20 Timeout
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On the app
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AR (not Rahman)
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The South Africans are here
It is Match 7, IPL 16. Delhi Capitals at home against defending champions Gujarat Titans. We are welcoming South African internationals to the league. David Miller should walk into the Gujarat Titans side following Kane Williamson's injury, and Delhi Capitals will be tempted to slot in Anrich Nortje immediately. Here is from Matt Roller's preview
Both sides are waiting to see if their South Africans will be available: David Miller, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje were on the same flights from Johannesburg to Delhi, via Dubai, after cruising to victory over the Netherlands on Sunday night, and should be ready to play if their teams require.
The Titans are likely to bring Miller into their side, with Williamson's season-ending knee injury only prompting a slight reshuffle. If they stick with a similar balance, trusting Sai Sudharsan to continue at No. 3, then both of their overseas quicks - Alzarri Joseph and Josh Little - will keep their spots.
The Capitals may be slightly more reluctant to take a risk on either fast bowler after long-haul journeys - though Nortje's pace would offer them a point of difference with the ball, and he could prove too tempting an option to leave out. To fit him in, Delhi would have to leave out one of their overseas batters, with Rilee Rossouw the most likely omission.
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