IPL 2019 highlights: DC win by 16 runs, qualify for playoffs after 7 years

Half-centuries by Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer's coupled with late cameos from Sherfane Rutherford and Axar Patel powered Delhi Capitals to 187.

3:23 PM

Key bowlers for RCB

RCB's bowling remains a worry. RCB were dealt a huge blow when newly recruited Dale Steyn, who was brought in to replace the injured Nathan Coulter Nile, was ruled out of the IPL due to shoulder inflammation.
 
The side will draw inspiration from Navdeep Saini's match-winning penultimate over effort against KXIP. The fast bowler had taken the crucial wickets of Nicholas Pooran and David Miller giving away only three runs to hand his side the win.

3:12 PM

Key batsmen for DC

Delhi will be hoping that their strokemakers at the top of the line-up show some restrain and don't try and hit every ball out of the park. Shikhar Dhawan has been brilliant at the top and has ensured that he makes full use of the powerplay overs. On the other hand, someone like Rishabh Pant has also mixed caution with aggression to guide the batting in the middle overs before unleashing himself on the opposition bowlers at the death.

3:08 PM

Key batsmen for RCB

The likes of AB de Villiers, Kohli, Parthiv Patel and Marcus Stoinis will look to capitalise on Delhi's inconsistent record at home

2:58 PM

Here are the form guide of both the teams

Delhi Capitals: Beat Royals by six wickets, beat Kings XI by five wickets, lost to Mumbai by 40 runs, beat Sunrisers by 39 runs
 
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Beat Kings XI Kings XI by 17 runs, beat Super Kings by one run, beat Knight Riders Knight Riders by 10 runs, lost to Mumbai by five wickets

2:43 PM

Here are playing 11 predictions of both the teams

RCB playing 11: Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli (capt.), AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer/Colin de Grandhomme/Heinrich Klassen, Akshdeep Nath, Marcus Stoinis, Washington Sundar/Pawan Negi, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini
 
DC playing 11: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (capt.), Rishabh Pant, Colin Ingram, Sherfane Rutherford, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Sandeep Lamichhane

2:38 PM

RCB look to continue winning spree

RCB will not be short on confidence either, the side seems to have regrouped successfully and found their groove. They won their last three games defeating Kolkata Knight Riders, table topper CSK and Kings XI Punjab. The wins had briefly lifted the Bengaluru based outfit from the bottom of the table to the penultimate spot. They have eight points from 11 games.

2:34 PM

Washington Sundar on Moeen Ali’s absence

Asked about Ali's departure, Sundar said the team is not concerned as they have several foreign players to take the Englishman's place. "Ali had a good season and his experience and form will be missed but we have many players to replace him. We've got CDG (Colin de Grandhomme) and (Shimron) Heytmer," said Sundar.

2:26 PM

Washington Sundar on RCB’s IPL playoff chances

RCB all-rounder Washington Sundar said his side is looking to win all three of their remaining games to keep their play-off hopes afloat.

 

"We thought we will just enjoy each game specially after losing six straight games. We are now looking to win the remaining matches and give ourselves the best chance to qualify," Sundar said.

 

RCB will face Delhi after a three-match winning streak. Their bowling unit has finally produced the results which gives the side immense confidence.

 

"We have managed to defend three games on the trot which was very difficult for any team to do. We have bowled really well in the powerplay and that is a good for us."

2:20 PM

DC’s performance at home ground and Iyer on Kotla wicket

Delhi have been in woeful form at home winning just two of their five matches here but the skipper feels the side now has a fair idea of the pitch.

 

"It's an advantage for us because we get to practice in the afternoon and we have been doing that in the night games. We are now aware of the wickets, how it's going to play we have a fair idea now.

 

"In all the coming three games we are playing here, Chennai and then back again and it's kind of a similar wicket. So it's a blessing in disguise for us to be going through this condition," Iyer said.

2:11 PM

Here are the squads of both the teams:

Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Sherfane Rutherford, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Colin Munro, Ankush Bains, Jagadeesha Suchith, Manjot Kalra, Keemo Paul, Jalaj Saxena, Rahul Tewatia, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nathu Singh, Bandaru Ayyappa, Sandeep Lamichhane

 

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Parthiv Patel, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Akshdeep Nath, Moeen Ali, Washington Sundar, Tim Southee, Navdeep Saini, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Kulwant Khejroliya, Shivam Dube, Heinrich Klaasen, Himmat Singh, Colin de Grandhomme, Milind Kumar, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Prayas Barman, Dale Steyn, Pawan Negi

1:58 PM

Shreyas Iyer on Moeen Ali’s absence in RCB playing 11

With the ODI World Cup scheduled to start on May 30 in UK, several international players including those from England and Australia have either left or will be leaving the IPL mid-way owing to national duty.
 
Asked whether RCB power-hitter Moeen Ali's departure will impact the team, Iyer said Delhi would try and capitalise on the Englishman's absence.
 
"Players going away from other teams is an advantage for us. Specially that ones who have been doing well for their side and Moeen Ali is one of them and we will try and utilise the situation to the best of our abilities."

1:53 PM

Beginning every game as the underdogs helps us, says Shreyas Iyer

Delhi Capitals are at the cusps of reaching the play-offs after six long years and captain Shreyas Iyer feels the reason for the success lies in the fact that his side starts every game as the underdogs. Delhi Daredevils was rechristened as Delhi Capitals before the start of the IPL 2019 and the change in name has brought with it a change in fortunes as well. The team is sitting third in the points table with 14 points from 11 games.

"No one expected that we would do this well. We play every game as if it's a do or die situation. We go out as the underdogs in each game and that helps us. Ricky (Ponting) always says that (starting as underdogs) gets the best out of everyone," Iyer said on the eve of Delhi's match against Royal Challengers Bangalore here.

Delhi need just two more points from three games to qualify for the play-offs but the 24-year-old said the team is looking to win at least two of their remaining games.

"The job is just half done so far. We need to win one more but our aim is to win two out of the three matches. That is the benchmark we have set for ourselves."
 

1:41 PM

Here’s what happened when RCB hosted DC in IPL 2019

There was no end to Royal Challengers Bangalore's woeful run this IPL as the Virat Kohli-led side suffered its sixth straight defeat while Delhi Capitals played like a unit to win by four wickets in Match 20 of VIVO Indian Premier League at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB batsmen found the going tough on a tough wicket after being invited to bat first and could only manage 149 for 8 in the stipulated 20 overs. With the ball not coming on to the bat, Kohli scored almost a-run-a-ball before hitting two sixes late in his innings, consuming 33 balls for his 41. Had it not been for Kohli and Moeen Ali's contributions, RCB would have been in deep trouble. Ali hit a 18-ball 32
 
South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada (4/21) accounted for four RCB batsmen to lead Delhi's bowling attack, which also comprised Chris Morris (2/28), Axar Patel (1/22) and Sandeep Lamichhane (1/46). Shreyas Iyer then played a captain's knock, making a 50-ball 67 to guide Delhi Capitals to a comfortable win, bringing their IPL campaign back on track. Iyer anchored the chase with some crucial partnerships as Delhi overhauled the target with 10 balls to spare. Iyer smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 50-ball innings which helped Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping a two-match losing streak where they lost to Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last two games.
 
Chasing 150 to win, Iyer forged a 68-run partnership with opener Prithvi Shaw (28) after Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed by Tim Southee in the third ball of the innings. In the 9th over, Pawan Negi removed Shaw after the batsman top-edged a delivery and was caught at deep square leg by Akshdeep Nath.

1:29 PM

Preview

Having finally broken the voodoo at home, Delhi Capitals will start the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore as favourites when the two teams clash at the Feroz Shah Kotla. DC and RCB have both been on a win streak in recent times, but the home team finally managing to adapt to the wickets at the Kotla gives them a slight edge. While DC have won their last two games against Kings XI Punjab at home and against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, RCB have won 4 out of their last 5 games. In fact, in their last game against KXIP, they were 81/4 at one stage before making a brilliant comeback through AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis. The spirit is high in the RCB camp and not go forget that their captain has grown up playing at the Kotla and Virat Kohli will definitely share his knowledge with the rest of the team. In the bowling department as well, there is coach Ashish Nehra who knows exactly the areas to focus on and how to use the variety balls to fox opposition batsmen on the low and slow Kotla wicket.