So, Delhi Capitals (DC) produced an all-round display to beat Royals Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 16 runs in the 46th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 at Feroz Shah Kotla ground. They became the second team after Chennai Super Kings to make the playoffs, their first since 2012.
Later today, Mumbai Indians can join them in the next round. Catch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians live HERE.
Brief Scores:
Delhi Capitals: 187 for five in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 52, Shikhar Dhawan 50; Yuzvendra Chahal 2/41).
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 171 for seven in 20 overs (Parthiv Patel 39, Marcus Stoinis 32 not out; Amit Mishra 2/29).
Shikhar Dhawan won the man of the match award.
Playing XIs:
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Colin Ingram, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Sandeep Lamichhane, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Heinrich Klaasen, Shivam Dube, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal
7:33 PM IST: Kagiso Rabada with the last over. He had Washington Sundar caught at long on by Shreyas Iyer. 164/7 (19.2 Over). Umesh Yadav is the new man. Marcus Stoinis hits the fourth ball for a six. Too little, too late. Nine runs from the over. RCB-171/7. Delhi Capitals won by 16 runs and make the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
7:27 PM IST: Brilliant catch from Rishabh Pant to send Gurkeerat Singh Mann (27 off 19) back. Ishant Sharma gets his first wicket. His figures: 1/40. Four runs from the over. RCB-162/6 after 19 overs. They need 26 from the last over. Washington Sundar is the new man.
7:22 PM IST: Kagiso Rabada on with his third over. Six runs from it. RCB-158/5 after 18 overs. Bangalore need 30 runs from 12 balls.
7:17 PM IST: Huge over for RCB. Gurkeerat Singh hits Ishant Sharma for three fours. 16 runs from the 17th over. RCB-152/5. They need 36 runs from 18 balls.
7:10 PM IST: Sandeep Lamichhane on with his third over. 10 runs from the over, including a six off the second over, over the bowler's head, hit by Marcus Stoinis. RCB-136/5 after 16 overs. They need another 52 runs from 24 balls. Time out.
7:06 PM IST: Amit Mishra leaks 11 runs from his last over. His figures: 2/29. RCB-126/5 after 15 overs. They need 62 runs from 30 balls. 25 runs and three wickets in the last four overs.
7:01 PM IST: Very good over from Axar Patel. Just four singles from his last over, for figures of 1/26. RCB-115/5 after 14 overs.
6:58 PM IST: What's happening? A procession of RCB batsmen, coming and going. Amit Mishra gets his second. He had Shivam Dube caught at point by a diving Shikhar Dhawan. FoW-111/5 (12.6 Over). Dube made 24 off 16. Marcus Stoinis is the new man.
6:54 PM IST: Another wicket falls. RCB are crumbling here. What a catch from Rishabh Pant, chasing and diving full lenght to send back Heinrich Klaasen. FoW-108/4 (12.2 Over). He made three off three. Gurkeerat Singh Mann is the new man.
6:51 PM IST: What a catch from Axar Patel at to send AB de Villiers back. He needed lots of balancing, so as not to touch the rope. Wicket to Sherfane Rutherford. FoW-103/3 (11.3 Over). ABD made 17 from 19 balls. Heinrich Klaasen is the new man. Six runs and a wicket from the over. RCB-107/3 after 12 overs. They need 81 from 48.
6:44 PM IST: Shivam Dube is taking on Delhi bowlers. He hits Sandeep Lamichhane for a six off the last ball of the 11th over to bring up Bengaluru's 100th run. 11 runs from the over. RCB-101/2 after 11 runs. They need 87 runs from 54 balls.
6:42 PM IST: Shivam Dube hits the fifth ball for a six, over long-on. Eight runs from the over. RCB-90/2 after 10 overs.
6:37 PM IST: Rahul Tewatia makes a mess of a catch. Shivam Dube fails to read Amit Mishra's googly and plays a skier, then the substitute fielder drops the catch at long-on. Two balls later, Ab de Villiers hit a mighty six, behind square to end the over. 11 runs from the over. RCB-82/2 after nine overs. They need 106 runs from 66 balls. Time out.
6:33 PM IST: What a wicket. Axar Patel strikes in second over. He had Virat Kohli caught at deep mid-wicket by Sherfane Rutherford. FoW-68/2 (7.2 Over). Kohli made 23 off 17 balls. Shivam Dube promoted. Four runs from the over. RCB-71/2 after eight overs. They need 117 runs from 72 balls.
6:29 PM IST: Three runs from the Amit Mishra's first over. All singles. RCB-67/1 after seven overs.
6:25 PM IST: What a catch. What a match. Parthiv Patel takes on season's highest wicket-taker Kagiso Rabada, hits the fourth ball for a crunchy four through cover. But gets out next ball, brilliant low catch taken by Axar Patel at mid-off. FoW-63/1 (5.5 Over). AB de Villiers is the new man. Off the mark straight away. Eight runs from the over. RCB-64/1 after six overs. They need 124 runs from 84 balls.
6:19 PM IST: Short-lived joy for Delhi Capitals. They thought they had Virat Kohli, caught behind. Not out was the soft decision and confirmed. That happened off the first ball of the fifth over, bowled by Ishant Sharma. Kohli and Rishabh Pant engaged in animated but friendly talk. Kohli hit the third ball for a six, then a four off the fifth ball as Kagiso Rabad misfielded while going for a run-out. 11 runs from the over. RCB-56/0 after five overs.
6:12 PM IST: Kagiso Rabada on with his first over. Ten runs from it with Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli hitting a four each, off the first and fourth balls respectively. DC-45/0 after four overs.
6:09 PM IST: Sandeep Lamichhane runs into Parthiv Patel, and pays the price. Three fours and 15 runs from the over. RCB-35/0 after three overs. They need 153 runs.
6:04 PM IST: Axar Patel on with the second over. Parthiv Patel hits the second ball for a six, over backward square leg. 10 runs from the over. RCB-20./0 after two overs. They need 168 runs.
6:00 PM IST: Ishant Sharma opens the defence. Parthiv Patel hits the last two balls for fours. 10 runs from the over.
Meanwhile, here's a look at Virat Kohli's performances in the last IPL matches in Delhi: RCB's last six matches in Delhi: 70 in 2018, 58 in 2017, 35 not out in 2015, 99 in 2013, 73 not out in 2012 and 56 in 2012 -- all in wins.
5:45 PM IST: 46 from the last three overs for Delhi, that's some finish. Sherfane Rutherford 28 from 13 and Axar Patel 16 from nine to give the finishing touches.
5:40 PM IST: Navdeep Saini on with the last over. A sloppy full toss, for four byes. Almost a no ball for height. Edge from Sherfane Rutherford and another four to third man. Another full toss just below the waist, but only a single this time, to long on. Yet another full toss, and Axar Patel gets a lucky four over short third man. Patel plays the next ball over mid-wicket for a single. A one-handed six from Rutherford over backward point to end the over. 20 runs from it. Saini's figures: 1/44. DD-187/5.
5:35 PM IST: Umesh Yadav returns for his last over. A dot ball to Axar Patel, then a four, pulls over short fine leg. A single, then Sherfane Rutherford hits the next ball for a six over deep mid-wicket. Patel hits the last ball for a four through point. 16 runs from the over. Yadav's figures: 1/39. DC-167/5 after 19 overs.
5:30 PM IST: Marcus Stoinis on with his third over. A single off the first ball to Sherfane Rutherford. The Guyanese smashes the third ball for a flat six, over deep mid-wicket. 10 runs from the over. DC-151/5 after 18 overs. 37 runs and three wickets from the last four overs.
5:25 PM IST: Navdeep Saini returns for his third over. And gets his first wicket after being hit for a four and a six. Lack of pace doing the trick. Another catch for Washington Sundar, this time at short fine leg. FoW-141/5 (16.5 Over). Ingram made 11 from seven. Axar Patel is the new man. A dot to end the over. 10 runs from it. DC-141/5 after 17 overs.
5:19 PM IST: Washington Sundar on with last over and get his first wicket. Big one. He had Shreyas Iyer caught at deep midwicket by Virat Kohli. FoW-129/4 (15.3 Over). Iyer made 52 off 37 balls. Sherfane Rutherford is the new man. Four runs from the over. DC-131/4 after 16 overs. 29 runs and three wickets in the last four overs.
5:15 PM IST: Yuzvendra Chahal gets hit for a six by Shreyas Iyer over deep midwicket. Chahal responds with a brilliant delivery, which beats the batsman. But Iyer hits the next ball for a six, the same corridor and fifty. In 34 balls. A good shout for LBW and given. Review taken. What an over. Umpire Bruce Oxenford gets it right. FoW-127/3 (14.5 Over). Pant made seven off seven. Colin Ingram is the new man. 13 runs from the over. Chahal completes his spell for 2/41.
5:09 PM IST: Washington Sundar returns for his third over. Sedate start from Rishabh Pant, which tells his maturity. Taking time, measuring things. Five singles from the first five balls then Pant pulls the last ball to deep mid-wicket for his first four. Nine runs from the over. DC-114/2 after 14 overs.
5:03 PM IST: Exccellent over from Yuzvendra Chahal. A wicket and three runs from it. DC-105/2 after 13 overs. Time out.
5:00 PM IST: Wicket for Yuzvendra Chahal. Shikhar Dhawan perishes. Goes for an expansive sweep shot, ends up getting a top edge. Catch taken at short fine leg by Washington Sundar. FoW-103/2 (12.2 Over). Dhawan made 50 off 37 balls. Rishabh Pant is the new man.
4:57 PM IST: Shivam Dube, right-arm medium, gets his first over. A single to deep square. Shikhar Dhawan plays the second ball to cover for a single. Virat Kohli goes at non-striker's end. Good, diving stop from AB de Villiers to restrict Shreyas Iyer's straight drive to a single. A single off the fifth ball and Dhawan has another fifty, in 36 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes. Five runs from the over. DC-102/1 after 12 overs.
4:52 PM IST: Marcus Stoinis on with his second over. A single off the first and Shikhar Dhawan played an adventurous shot, shuffling and scooping over the wicketkeeper's head for a four. Four more singles and nine runs from the over. DC-97/1 after 11 overs. Dhawan is unbeaten on 48 off 33, Shreyas Iyer on 30 off 23.
4:47 PM IST: Washington Sundar on with his second over. A misfield at deep square leg by Gurkeerat, two runs off the first ball. A single, then a dot Shikhar Dhawan. Another single. Umesh Yadav stops a certain boundary at fine leg. Two runs though. A single, to long on. Seven runs from the over. DC-88/1 after ten overs. 53 from 39 for the second wicket.
4:44 PM IST: Navdeep Saini returns for his second over. A single off the first ball as Shreyas Iyer plays it to backward point. Shikhar Dhawan misses a good chance to put the second ball away. He hits straight to AB de Villiers at mid-wicket. Another dot. A four off the fourth, to deep mid-wicket. A single, to cover. A single to end the over. Seven runs from it. DC-81/1 after nine overs.
4:39 PM IST: Marcus Stoinis gets his first over. Very good start, singles from the first four balls, then a double to end the over. Five runs and DC are 74/1 after eight overs.
4:34 PM IST: Yuzvendra Chahal returns for his second over. Ten runs from it, including a six off the third ball, hit by Shreyas Iyer over cow corner. DC-69/1 after seven overs.
4:28 PM IST: Umesh Yadav on with his third over. Shikhar Dhawan hits the second ball for a four, straight. Three singles and seven runs from it. DC-59/1 after six overs. Time out.
4:24 PM IST: Navdeep Saini, right-arm medium, into the attack. Shikhar Dhawan flicks the first ball for a six. A dot and very good running from Shreyas Iyer from the non-striker's end to rotate the strike. He hits the fifth ball for a four through mid-wicket. Sublime timing. 11 runs from the over. DC-52/1 after five overs.
4:18 PM IST: Prithvi Shaw hits the second ball of Umesh Yadav's second over, through cover. Sublime timing. Then a fine nick. Caught behind though Parthiv Patel almost make a mess of it. Ball hit his chest and he just about manages to hold onto it. FoW-35/1 (3.3 Over). New man Shreyas Iyer gets a lucky four, through the slip cordon. 11 runs from the over. DC-41/1 after four overs.
4:12 PM IST: Yuzvendra Chahal, right-arm leg break, on with the third over. Gets hit for a straight six by Shikhar Dhawan. Two dot balls, then a four, just landing in front of fine leg boundary rope. A single and a four to long on. 15 runs from the over. DC-30 after three overs.
4:08 PM IST: Washington Sundar on with the second over. The offspinner starts with a dot to Prithvi Shaw, then a single. A leg off the third ball, then Shaw comes down the pitch to play lofted straight drive. A four. Shaw follows it up with another four, to deep backward point. Ten runs from the over. DD-15/0 after two overs.
4:04 PM IST: Umesh Yadav on with the first over of the day. A single off the second ball as Prithvi Shaw plays towards deep square. Shikhar Dhawan hits the fourth ball for a four over cover point. Five runs from the over.
3:35 PM IST: One change for DC, Sanddep Lamichhane in for Chris Morris. Three changes for RCB: Heinrich Klaasen, Shivam Dube and Gurkeerat Singh in for Moeen Ali, Tim Southee and Akshdeep Nath.
3:31 PM IST: Delhi Capitals have won the toss and have opted to bat.
3:27 PM IST: So, what is the playing condition on a day in Delhi. Graeme Swann compared it to a riverbed, during pitch report for the official broadcasters, "The wicket is very, very dry. It's like a riverbed, there's hardly a blade of grass. Very uniform, very flat. Don't expect a great deal for the seam bowlers. When the ball is new and shiny, it might skid off a bit. Once the shine is gone, this is gonna grip the wicket. Spin plays such a big part here at Kotla. Whoever wins the toss will almost certainly bat first."
2:49 PM IST: Here's the general feeling ahead of the match:
RCB will enter Feroz Shah Kotla, a very familiar place for their captain Kohli, on the back of a three-match winning run. But the visitors will still have to play out of their skins to stop Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly's rampaging outfit.
A win will ensure that DC, who are currently in the third spot behind Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, reach the magical 16 points and hope for a playoff spot.
DC's performance at home has been woeful but having registered a win after two consecutive losses here, the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit will be high on confidence.
2:38 PM IST: Here's a glimpse of Kagiso Rabada warming up
2:30 PM IST: Likely XIs
Delhi Capitals: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Colin Ingram, Sherfane Rutherford, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Sandeep Lamichhane
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Akshdeep Nath, Marcus Stoinis, Washington Sundar, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nitin Saini
2:22 PM IST: Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals wrapped up their home season with an emphatic win over SunRisers Hyderabad on Saturday, helping defending champions Chennai Super Kings become the first to qualify for the playoffs. And on double-header Super Sunday, two teams can join MS Dhoni-led side in the next round. Later in the day, Kolkata Knight Riders host a rampaging Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens.
2:17 PM IST: Form Guide (latest first):
Delhi Capitals beat Rajasthan Royals by six wickets, beat Kings XI Punjab by five wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 40 runs, beat SunRisers Hyderabad by 39 runs
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kings XI Punjab by 17 runs, beat Chennai Super Kings by one run, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by five wickets.
2:00 PM IST: Here's a quick look at the head-to-head record:
Despite the recent reversal of fortunes, Bengaluru still dominate this fixture -- winning 15 of the previous 23 meetings. Delhi have won seven times. There was one game which ended in a no result.
1:45 PM IST: But there is still a certain AB de Villiers. Ready to do the heavy lifting for the cause. And it augurs well for RCB and Virat Kohli, who's going a rather lean patch.
But there are no such worries, injuries or otherwise for Delhi.
1:50 PM IST: So what happened in the first leg of the fixture this season?
Kagiso Rabada produced got the prized wickets of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in his 4/21 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium as DC restricted RCB to a lowly 152/6. Yes, Chinnaswamy has been a belter. Then, visiting captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the chase with a fluent 67 off 50 balls.
And Rabada is the leading wicket-taker this season with 23 wickets. He will be raring to increase the count before leaving for World Cup camp.
1:35 PM IST: Here are the squads
Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Colin Ingram, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Rahul Tewatia, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Ankush Bains, Chris Morris, Sherfane Rutherford, Jalaj Saxena, Sandeep Lamichhane, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nathu Singh, Bandaru Ayyappa, Colin Munro, Manjot Kalra.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, AB de Villiers, Colin de Grandhomme, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer, Dale Steyn, Shivam Dube, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Devdutt Padikkal, Himmat Singh, Milind Kumar, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Heinrich Klaasen, Pawan Negi, Washington Sundar, Akshdeep Nath, Prayas Ray Barman, Kulwant Khejroliya, Tim Southee.
RCB already lost Dale Steyn who suffered an inflammation in his shoulder, again and Moeen Ali -- two stars who played pivotal roles in their last outings. Ali has joined England team for World Cup preparations.
1:20 PM IST: Both the teams have played 11 matches each, but Delhi Capitals sit pretty at third with seven wins while Royal Challengers Bangalore are at the rock bottom with four wins.
But Virat Kohli, the Delhi boy with a rather large entourage, has landed in the national capital to continue RCB's fight for survival. They have done so emphatically well after losing those first six matches. And there's hope, positive energy around RCB camp that belie their history -- the one talking about failures.
Waiting for RCB in Delhi is a band of young go-getters, ready to script new chapters in the franchise's rather dull history. For the last six seasons, then known as Daredevils, the Delhi-based team has failed to make the cut for the second stage of the tournament. Now, they are in the cusp of making that promotion. And leading the team's fortunes are the skipper Shreyas Iyer, flambouyant wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant who got the World Cup snub and prodigious South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.
