Delhi Capitals managed to set a challenging 185-run target against a determined Rajasthan Royals despite losing wickets at regular intervals, in the IPL 2020 match at Sharjah.
Shimron Hetmyer produced the fireworks towards the latter half of the innings, smashing five sixes and a four in his 24-ball 45. He got some valuable support from Marcus Stoinis (39) to guide Delhi Capitals to 184/8.
Jofra Archer (3/24) was the pick of the bowlers, while spinner Rahul Tewatia (1/20) and pacer Kartik Tyagi (1/35) too chipped in.
Archer dismissed opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) in the second over for his first wicket in the Powerplay this year.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer then smashed two fours off pacer Varun Aaron (0/25 in 2 overs) and then Prithvi Shaw (19 off 10) deposited him in the stands after Tyagi dropped the opener in the previous ball.
However, Shaw couldn't stay longer as Archer induced a top-edge from the batsman and then completed the catch as DC slipped to 42 for two.
Young Yashasvi Jaiswal then run out Iyer with a brilliant direct throw with Delhi slumping to 51 for three at the end of powerplay.
Stoinis then made spinner Shreyas Gopal pay for bowling short, clobbering him for successive sixes.
Tyagi and Rahul Tewatia then further stymied the run flow before Hetmyer smashed Tye for a six to bring up the 100 in 13th over.
Stoinis then sliced at a wide delivery to hand Tewatia a wicket in his last over to leave at DC at 109 for five.
Hetmyer then took over the mantle and hit Tye for a four and six before launching Tyagi for successive sixes. But the young India pacer had the last laugh as the West Indies batsman was holed out at the long-on boundary.
In the 18th over, Axar Patel (17 off 8) blasted two fours and a six off Tye to rack up 22 runs.
Rajasthan made two changes, bringing in pacers Varon Aaron and Andrew Tye in place of Ankit Rajpoot and Tom Curran.
Delhi, however, fielded an unchanged XI.
(With PTI inputs)
