Sanju Samson appeared invincible, as he often does when he uses his impeccable timing to centre everything. To score his first century of the season and lead his team home, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals looked good. He was composed, unflappable, and held his shape while hitting some amazing sixes. Even on this Delhi track that was ideal for batting, the target looked intimidating, but as long as Samson was tonking the ball against pace and spin, the outcome of the match was certain.
Batting on 86, Samson smashed Mukesh Kumar clean down the ground with 60 needed from 27 balls. Shai Hope stopped himself from stepping over by tip-toeing after holding onto the catch at the boundary line. After seeing the replay on the enormous screen, Samson decided to turn around and head back to the dugout.
After watching the replays, the captain of Rajasthan wasn’t happy that the third umpire had called him “out.” Samson even motioned for a review after a heated exchange with the on-field umpires. Reviewing the review of an on-field umpire was pointless, though. From this point on, Rajasthan lost momentum as the contest slid away from them.
Samson is enjoying one of his greatest IPL seasons to date, and his knock a few days after being chosen for the T20 World Cup demonstrated his near limitless capacity to find boundaries. He hit six sixes and eight boundaries in his 46-ball knock. The other obvious match winners, Jos Buttler (19 off 17 balls) and Riyan Parag (27 off 22 balls), failed to convert their starts, so Sanju didn’t have much help from the other end. Despite having a strong hand, Shubham Dubey (25 off 12 balls) gave in to the pressure of the scoreboard.
Delhi was able to maintain their playoff hopes thanks to the victory.
Fraser-McGurk attack
Before the game, Ricky Ponting, the head coach of the Delhi Capitals, had stated that he was disappointed that Jake Fraser-McGurk was not selected for Australia and that he thought the young player should open the T20 World Cup alongside Travis Head. The fact that he wasn’t named in the Australia team surprised me a little. I believe a T20 match may have been rather entertaining if Travis Head and Jake had been able to walk out together, given what they have accomplished in this tournament.
Like he did at the Delhi Capitals, Ponting has implied that Fraser-McGurk ought to take David Warner’s spot at the top for Australia. With his 20-ball fifty on Tuesday, Fraser-McGurk demonstrated his hitting prowess once more, suggesting that Mitchell Marsh and chief selector George Bailey may have overlooked a trick.
Fraser-McGurk’s second major test came against Trent Boult, who is always a difficult opponent with the new ball, after he emerged victorious over Jasprit Bumrah the other day. Fraser-McGurk unleashed a couple of furious heaves to start the fight. Three pull shots were attempted, and one of them struck him in the box. Once he was upright again, he eventually struck one over mid-off to get things going.
Boult cleared his front leg in his second over and sent the ball over the bowler’s head for a six in the manner of Sunil Narine. Boult was obliged by the massive shot to alter his approach, going over the wicket. Boult discovered a break, but it passed the first area of slippage. Subsequently, Boult approached the wicket and was greeted with a boundary with a forehand slap. From Boult’s second over, fifteen runs were scored.
Avesh Khan got off to a terrific start, saving the best for last: the inside edge went for a boundary. Jake then blasted 28 runs, including two sixes and four boundaries, out of Avesh’s over. It just took him 19 balls to complete his fourth fifty.
Porel and Stubbs thrive
The Fraser-McGurk show came to a conclusion with Ravichandran Ashwin. With a full toss, the off-spinner despatched Fraser-McGurk, looking a little fortunate. Fraser-McGurk might have easily hit the full throw into the neighbouring Feroz Shah Kotla with the kind of touch he was in. However, he ultimately chipped it right to Donovan Ferreira, who was covering.
Neither Fraser-McGurk nor Ashwin could believe their good fortune. Keeping Ashwin in the crease with two left-handed hitters, Abhishek Porel and Axar Patel, may have been a mistake made by Samson. Fraser-McGurk’s second fiddle, Porel, switched up his game against spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, hitting a four and a six.
After being brought back, Ashwin defeated Axar Patel this time. Porel, on the other hand, persisted in going for his shots and reached his first fifty in just 28 balls. The final laugh went to Ashwin when he secured the valuable wicket of Porel. After taking Prithvi Shaw’s place in the playing XI, the southpaw hit a brilliant 36-ball 65 that included three maximums and seven boundaries. Tristan Stubbs’ 20-ball 41, a late burst of creativity, lifted Delhi to 221 for 8. R Ashwin (3/22) was the best bowler for the Rajasthan Royals.
