Chennai: Pushed to open the batting in the absence of Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul slammed a superb 77 and propelled Delhi Capitals to a competitive 183/6 against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in match 17 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.
On a pitch that wasn’t a batting paradise per se, Rahul led the way for DC through his 77 off 51 balls, laced with six fours and three sixes. Whenever the bowlers made a mistake, Rahul was quick to hit them for boundaries, especially three of them coming against CSK’s strike-bowler and the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Noor Ahmad.
Rahul found good support from crucial knocks by Abishek Porel, Axar Patel, Sameer Rizvi, and Tristan Stubbs, though none of them stayed for long to make a big score after electing to bat first. DC were dealt an early blow when Jake Fraser-McGurk heaved to mid-on for a duck off Khaleel Ahmed.
Porel got going when Mukesh Choudhary offered width, and he dished out straight drive, pull, edge, and ramp to take three fours and a six in a 19-run second over. From the other end, Rahul’s show began by lofting Choudhary for six before pulling Khaleel for four. It was followed by Porel cutting Ravichandran Ashwin between short third and backward point for four, as DC ended the power-play at 51/1.
But Ravindra Jadeja removed Porel for 33 when the batter guided the ball uppishly to short third man. Patel, promoting himself to number four, ensured DC didn’t face much heat from CSK spinners by lofting Jadeja for six, cover-driving Ashwin for four, and rocking back to cut Noor for another boundary. After Rahul slog-swept Noor for six, the wrist-spinner bounced back when his googly went past a slog-sweeping Axar and castled him for 21.
Rahul, though, continued to hold one end by off-driving Pathirana for four, before dancing down the pitch to loft Jadeja for six. After getting his fifty off 33 balls, Rahul muscled and swept Noor for a brace of fours, even as Rizvi thumped boundaries, including one going into the CSK dugout.
Rahul welcomed a returning Choudhary with a lovely reverse scoop going for four, even as Rizvi fell for 20 to Khaleel. Rahul swept Choudhary for a delightful four and had luck on his side when the pacer dropped him off his own bowling on 76.
More thrashing was in store for Choudhary as Tristan Stubbs clubbed him for six and four, which came off a misfield, as 15 runs came off the 19th over. DC’s ambition to make 190 suffered big blows in the final over when Rahul gloved behind off Pathirana for 77 and Ashutosh Sharma was run out on the very next ball, as 45 runs came off the last five overs.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 183/6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 77, Abishek Porel 33; Khaleel Ahmed 2-25, Ravindra Jadeja 1-19) against Chennai Super Kings
(IANS)
