Delhi Capitals pulled off a stunning five-run victory over Gujarat Titans to keep their playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday. In a match that saw twists and turns, Delhi’s bowlers held their nerves to seal the deal. The game was played in Ahmedabad, and it was a must-win for Delhi Capitals as they looked to climb up the points table.
Bowlers Set up the Game for Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bat first. But, their decision did not pay off as they lost five wickets for just 23 runs in six overs. The Titans’ bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami, were impeccable with their lengths and kept the pressure on Delhi’s top order.
We continue to believe!
WHAT. A. WIN 💙 pic.twitter.com/fia4VZTt4F
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) May 2, 2023
Shami was lethal with the new ball and picked up four wickets in his four-over spell to leave Delhi reeling. Axar Patel and Ripal Patel’s contributions helped Delhi Capitals reach a respectable total of 130 for 8.
Titans Stumble in Their Chase
In reply, Gujarat Titans got off to a shaky start as they lost early wickets. Warner, Salt, and Rossouw failed to make an impact, and the Titans found themselves struggling at 32 for 4. Delhi’s bowlers, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ishant Sharma, took control of the game and brought Delhi back into the match.
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞.”
Watch Shami bhai open up about the match last night exclusively only on our website and Titans FAM app 📽️
Watch here 👇https://t.co/NWqWFlKZcM#AavaDe #TATAIPL 2023… pic.twitter.com/jZosdFiy0t— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) May 3, 2023
Hardik Pandya and Abhinav Manohar’s partnership was pivotal in getting the Titans within striking distance of their winning aim. Unfortunately, they went through too many shipments, increasing the necessary run rate. Rahul Tewatia’s hat trick of sixes against Anrich Nortje in the 19th over gave the Titans new life as they edged closer to victory.
Ishant Sharma Holds His Nerve
Titans needed 13 runs off the final over, and they had the big-hitting Hardik Pandya at the crease. However, Ishant Sharma kept his cool and only let the Titans score six runs in the final over. Tewatia was dismissed, and Rashid Khan needed to hit a six on the last ball to force a super over, but he could only manage a single. Delhi Capitals won the game by five runs and kept their playoff hopes alive.
Always inspiring us, our Ishu Bhai 🙌#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2023 #GTvDC pic.twitter.com/vAwjWAdSIc
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) May 2, 2023
Outstanding Performances by Delhi Capitals’ Indian Players
Delhi Capitals’ Indian players played a crucial role in their victory. Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, and Kuldeep Yadav bowled exceptionally well and picked up crucial wickets to give Delhi the upper hand. Axar Patel had a brilliant spell and conceded just 24 runs in his four overs.
Aman Khan’s Maiden T20 Fifty
Delhi’s innings were resurrected by Aman Khan, who scored his maiden T20 fifty. After Delhi had lost five wickets for just 23 runs, Aman Khan, along with Axar Patel, put on a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket. As their partnership grew, their scoring rate increased. Aman Khan took on the bowlers with some attacking stroke play and brought up his fifty off just 30 deliveries.
He hit four boundaries and two sixes in his innings and provided some much-needed momentum to Delhi’s innings. Despite his efforts, Delhi could only manage a total of 135/9 in their 20 overs, which ultimately proved to be too low as Chennai chased it down comfortably with six wickets in hand. However, Aman Khan’s maiden T20 fifty was one of the few bright spots for Delhi in an otherwise disappointing outing.
Shami’s Brilliant Spell Dismantles the Titans
Mohammed Shami put on a masterclass in fast bowling, wreaking havoc on the Titans’ batting line-up with a brilliant spell of 4 for 11. After picking up a lucky first-ball wicket, Shami bowled with great skill and precision, delivering 19 dots in 24 balls. He troubled the right-handers with a prominent upright seam and delivered a series of good-length balls that proved too much for Pandey and Garg, who were caught behind.
.@MdShami11 wins the Player of the Match award for recording Gujarat Titans’ best bowling figures of 4⃣/1️⃣1️⃣ in #TATAIPL history! ⚡#AavaDe #GTvDC pic.twitter.com/8JIs5lQtTz
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) May 2, 2023
In addition to being the Player of the Match, Shami also extended his lead as the top wicket-taker in the IPL 2023 for most powerplay wickets. Even though the pitch did not turn much for the other bowlers, the Capitals managed to score 52 runs in the last five overs, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 23-ball 23 from Ripal Patel and Aman Hakim Khan’s maiden T20 fifty. Their contributions proved to be the difference in the end as the Capitals won the game.
Exciting Stats and Records from GT vs DC IPL 2023 Match 44
- Wriddhiman Saha of Gujarat Titans has just entered the 100 club – and no, we’re not talking about his age! He became the third wicketkeeper in IPL history to have been involved in 100 or more dismissals. That’s a lot of catches and stumps, folks!
- David Warner is chasing records like it’s a game of tag! He’s now the third-highest run scorer for the Delhi Capitals with a whopping 2175 runs. Only two other players – Shreyas Iyer (2375) and Rishabh Pant (2838) – have scored more runs for the team. Watch out, boys, Warner’s coming for you!
- Move over, James Anderson – Mohammed Shami is taking over the title of “Powerplay King” in the IPL! He now has the most wickets in power plays since last season, with a whopping 21 dismissals. No wonder the opposition batsmen have started to see him in their nightmares!
- The Delhi Capitals have successfully defended a score of less than 150 for the second time in their history. And in each instance, it occurred in their last three games.Talk about a team that can defend like a fortress!
- Aman Hakim Khan might be a new kid on the block, but he’s already making waves in the IPL. He scored his first fifty in the tournament, and boy, was it a treat to watch! And here’s a cool fact: after the 5th wicket fell in the same match, two 50+ partnerships occurred for the first time in IPL history. Aman Khan and Ripal Patel put up 53 runs after Axar Patel and Khan had already contributed 50. These Titans don’t know when to give up, do they?
Bottom Line
In what was a thrilling encounter, the Delhi Capitals managed to stun the table-toppers Gujarat Titans by just 5 runs. The Capitals’ excellent performance with both bat and ball proved to be the difference, as they managed to defend their total of 170 runs. The Titans gave it their all, but ultimately fell short in their chase.
This victory will give the Delhi Capitals a massive boost in confidence as they continue their campaign in the tournament. The Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly and come back stronger in their upcoming matches if they are to maintain their position at the top of the table. All in all, it was an exciting match that kept the fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
