Delhi Capitals secured a six-wicket victory against Punjab Kings in their final IPL match at Jaipur on Saturday, successfully chasing down a target of 207 runs in 19.3 overs. Young Sameer Rizvi shone with an unbeaten 58 off 25 balls, while Karun Nair, recently recalled to the Indian Test team, contributed 44 runs in the winning effort.Rizvi’s maiden half-century included five sixes and three fours, displaying exceptional batting prowess under pressure. Nair’s 27-ball innings featured two sixes and five fours, proving crucial in the run chase.The chase began positively with KL Rahul, serving as impact substitute, scoring 35 off 21 balls, and stand-in captain Faf du Plessis contributing 23 off 15 balls. They established a quick 55-run partnership in under six overs.
Rahul’s innings included impressive shots, notably a cover-point boundary off Azmatullah Omarzai and a straight six against Harpreet Brar. However, he fell to Marco Jansen’s slow off-cutter, caught by Shashank Singh.Nair, making his return to the Indian Test squad after eight years, started confidently with a six over fine leg off Jansen. Du Plessis’s innings ended with a soft dismissal, caught by Priyansh Arya at backward point.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?In the first innings, Punjab Kings posted 206 for eight, powered by Marcus Stoinis‘s unbeaten 44 off 16 balls and Shreyas Iyer‘s 53 off 34 deliveries. Stoinis’s explosive innings included four sixes and three fours.Delhi Capitals, bowling first, found early success when Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Priyansh Arya for 6. The Bangladesh seamer finished with figures of 3/33.Josh Inglis and Prabhsimran Singh provided early momentum for Punjab Kings before leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam claimed two crucial wickets. Nigam, showing promise for future T20 World Cup consideration, maintained good control throughout his spell.Shreyas Iyer’s innings featured aggressive batting, including a six over deep midwicket off Kuldeep Yadav. His stay ended when he hit straight to Mohit Sharma off Kuldeep’s bowling.
The match saw momentum shifts, with Mukesh Kumar conceding 25 runs in one over. Stoinis capitalized on a dropped catch to score 22 runs off Mohit Sharma’s over, helping Punjab Kings post a challenging total.Leg-spinner Praveen Dubey contributed by dismissing Sediqullah Atal for 22 off 16 balls, though he later conceded four consecutive boundaries to Nair as Delhi reached 111 for three in the 11th over.Despite losing Nair at a crucial stage to Brar’s bowling, Rizvi’s mature batting ensured Delhi Capitals finished their IPL campaign on a winning note. The chase demonstrated Delhi’s batting depth and ability to handle pressure situations effectively.The match featured strong performances from both teams’ bowlers, with Mustafizur Rahman’s strategic angle bowling and Vipraj Nigam’s controlled leg-spin standing out. However, the batsmen dominated the contest, with both sides displaying aggressive intent throughout.
