New Delhi: KL Rahul shined on his promotion to the openers role by slamming a majestic 112 not out and carry Delhi Capitals to a massive 199/3 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
On a slightly slower pitch, Rahul was at his clean and pristine best in strokeplay, especially when hitting through the line to hit 112 not out off 65 balls – his fifth IPL hundred. His spectacular knock included 14 fours and four sixes as Rahul also became the first ever batter to score IPL centuries for three different teams – having done this previously for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
Apart from being the team’s main driving force with the bat, Rahul also finished the innings well to ensure DC posted a total which can challenge GT’s top-order might. He found great support from other batters – Abishek Porel sizzled with a 19-ball 30, skipper Axar Patel hit two fours and a six in his 16-ball 25 and Tristan Stubbs was unbeaten on 21 off 10 balls.
Pushed into batting first, Rahul found two boundaries in the opening over off Mohammed Siraj – one via a misfield at deep third man, while the other came off a pristine backfoot cut past point. With Faf du Plessis struggling for timing against GT’s pacers and holed out to mid-on off Arshad Khan, there was no stopping Rahul.
When Siraj pitched it short and outside off-stump, Rahul was quick to cut past backward point and pull over mid-on for two boundaries. Against a returning Kagiso Rabada, Rahul was at his terrific best – moving slightly across to get inside line of the short ball and played swivelled across over square leg for a six.
Two balls later, Rabada offered room and Rahul, who also became the fastest Indian batter and third overall by innings to complete 8000 runs in men’s T20s, reached out to carve him over point, before standing tall to launch the pacer for a towering six down the ground, as 17 runs came off final power-play over, with DC closing the phase at 45/1.
Rahul was then proactive in rotating the strike off Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan, before sweeping the latter for a boundary to bring up his fifty off 35 balls, with the home crowd chanting his name loudly. Luck was also on Rahul’s side as R Sai Kishore couldn’t reach out in time to catch his top-edge on sweep and conceded a boundary.
Rahul left everyone jaw-dropped by backing away and lofting a half-volley from the pacer down the ground for six. Rahul then pressed the accelerator button by hitting Kishore for a hat-trick of boundaries – unfurling a powerful straight drive which ran through the bowler’s legs, a flick being parried over boundary rope by Rabada and edge running through vacant first slip.
Despite not getting much strike in last four overs, Rahul unfurled a lofted off-drive against Prasidh for six, before pulling him powerfully to get his century and soaking in the applause from a joyous home crowd. Rahul applied finishing touches by reverse-paddling and driving Siraj for two boundaries, and set GT on an uphill chase.
Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 199/3 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 112 not out, Abishek Porel 30; Arshad Khan 1-7, Prasidh Krishna 1-40) against Gujarat Titans
(IANS)
