It was Delhi Capitals (DC) all the way at the Feroz Shah Kotla after Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the toss and decided to bat first in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture on Saturday.
Needing a victory to keep their chances of cementing a top-two finish alive, the Delhi bowlers did their job to the core as they restricted RR to 115/9 in their 20 overs.
Riyan Parag's (50; 48 balls, 4x4, 6x2) knock was the only silver lining in the Rajasthan innings as the youngster helped the visitors amass 45 runs in the last five overs.
For Delhi, while Amit Mishra finished with figures of 3/17, Ishant Sharma played the senior pacer's role to perfection in Kagiso Rabada's absence, finishing with figures of 3/38.
Rajasthan's joy ended soon after the toss as reinstated skipper Ajinkya Rahane failed to rise to the captain's role as he mistimed a flick to be caught by Shikhar Dhawan off Ishant Sharma for 2. The score read 11/1 in the second over.
But Ishant wasn't done yet as he returned in the next over to dismiss Liam Livingstone (14) as the opener failed to read a slower ball which disturbed the timber. The score read 20/2 in the fourth over. But this was just the beginning of Rajasthan's horror as Sanju Samson was next run out by Prithvi Shaw for 5 as the score read 26/3.
Ishant then came back to dismiss Mahipal Lomror for 8. After that it was the Amit Mishra show as he sent back Shreyas Gopal (12) and Stuart Binny (0) off successive balls.
A hat-trick was on the cards, but Trent Boult dropped a sitter off K. Gowtham's bat. However, Mishra had his man caught by Ishant for 6 in his next over. With the scoreboard reading 65/7 in the 12th over, it was all about playing the full quota of overs after that.
Brief scores
Rajasthan Royals: 115/9 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 50; Amit Mishra 3/17, Ishant Sharma 3/38) vs Delhi Capitals
(Baidurjo Bhose can be contacted at baidurjo.b@ians.in)
--IANS
bbh/arm
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