As Delhi Capitals (DC) would have wanted, skipper Rishabh Pant batted right till the end of the innings, but managed to score just 39 runs in the 36 deliveries that he faced at a modest strike rate of 108.33.
Although the 24-year-old smashed three fours and two sixes, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowlers made Pant struggle to find his timing for most of the innings. Rishabh Pant has been a bit underwhelming in the past two seasons of the IPL, having a strike rates of 113.95 in the 2020 edition and 128.52 in the 2021 edition.
Fans on Twitter slammed the DC skipper for not being able to make the most of the decent batting conditions despite being set at the crease. Here are some of the reactions:
Rishabh Pant's struggle meant that DC couldn't finish on a high
KL Rahul had no hesitation in putting DC into bat first. All eyes were on how new recruit David Warner would do on his comeback for DC. However, it was the other opener Prithvi Shaw who stole the show in the powerplay.
Shaw smashed 61 runs off just 34 balls and gave DC a flying start. Although Warner struggled at the other end, Shaw ensured that DC had the early momentum.
However, things changed as KL Rahul introduced spinners like Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi as they began to take control of the game. Krishnappa Gowtham benefited from the pressure as he got the big wicket of Shaw.
Warner's misery soon ended and Rovman Powell too departed trying to hit a wild slog off the bowling of Ravi Bishnoi. It was important for Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan to bat deep and they did get some boundaries in the build up to the death overs.
However, Avesh Khan and Jason Holder were simply sensational in the last three overs, giving away just 19 runs and ensuring that DC didn't cross the 150-run mark. With a deep batting line-up and dew likely to play its part, LSG will fancy their chances of chasing the target down.
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