A Delhi Capitals XI minus the services of South African trio Chris Morris, Colin Ingram and Kagiso Rabada, beat the Sunrisers Hyderabad by two wickets in Wednesday’s Indian Premier League eliminator in Visakhapatnam.
With Rabada sidelined by injury and New Zealander Colin Munro and West Indian Keemo Paul preferred to Ingram and Morris, the Capitals played without a current or former Proteas player for the first time this IPL season.
The result removed the Sunrisers from contention for the title. The Capitals will meet the Chennai Super Kings in Friday’s second qualifier, which will decide the Mumbai Indians’ opposition for Sunday’s final in Uppal.
Hyderabad gathered a final total of 162 for eight on the back of incremental contributions from New Zealanders Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Indians Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar, and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi. Guptill top-scored with 36, while each of the other four struck at least 20. None converted promising starts to innings of genuine substance.
Delhi’s pursuit was spearheaded by the 19-year-old Prithvi Shaw, whose half-century at the top of the order preceded wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s middle-order cameo. Pant almost graduated to a half-ton after a particularly expensive over from seamer Basil Thampi, but was dismissed by seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 49 from 21 balls.
All-rounder Paul was ultimately on hand to ensure Delhi’s triumph with one delivery to spare, despite some late controversy which saw tailender Amit Mishra given out for obstructing the field.
Hyderabad won the IPL in 2016 and lost last year’s final to the Super Kings. Formerly known as the Daredevils, the Capitals remain in pursuit of a maiden title; they came third in 2009 and 2012.
SPORTZPICS for BCCI
