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That is that from a Super Saturday but an even better Sunday is ahead of us - another double-header awaits as the Punjab Kings lock horns with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Navi Mumbai, before the table-topping Gujarat Titans take on the Chennai Super Kings in Pune later in the evening. Do join us for our coverage of both these encounters right here on Sportskeeda, while also keeping yourselves up to date with all the other cricketing news and action from across the globe. Thank you so much for tuning in and do rejoin us tomorrow - until then, on behalf of my good friend and co-commentator Maanas Upadhyay, this is Sooryanarayanan Sesha once again reminding you to mask up and get vaccinated in case you haven't already. Goodnight and take care!
'My goal is to do something special for my country' - he's not saying it aloud, but his eyes are set on that ticket to Australia for the T20 World Cup. Dinesh Karthik cannot be ignored any further. He's here, he's aging like fine wine and he's not stopping. There's no stopping him and if this continues, there's no stopping his dream from donning the Indian blues once again. RCB are chugging along brilliantly and up next are the Lucknow Super Giants in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday (April 19). As for DC, they have some thinking to do - they haven't been able to get into a good run and they need to start ironing out their flaws before their next clash against the Punjab Kings in Pune on Wednesday (April 20).
Dinesh Karthik is the Player of the Match for his spectacular unbeaten 34-ball 66.
Karthik: I have a bigger goal - I've been working really really hard. Sometimes people don't believe it but my goal is to do something special for the country. I want to be in that Indian team and this is a step towards that. I thought Kuldeep was bowling really well today so I felt I should respect that and take on the bowlers later. When you're batting at the death it gives you a chance to get under the ball so that you can hit it outside. At the moment it seems to be working. You sound like a serial killer (laughs) - feels good to know that people associate calmness with me. I'm a bit restless. Positions and calmness comes from preparations - when you prepare, you know how to go about your innings. Apart from that, it's about staying in the moment. I know it sounds like a cliche but that's how it is. (On Shahbaz Ahmed) I think he's a very special player - I'm very, very sure he's going to do something special in the years to come. I know many people think that because of his frame he can't hit the ball (long) but he hits the ball alright.
Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore Captain): (On the form of a number of players) Apart from me (laughs) - look I think it's important certainly from a top-order perspective. Luckily we've got a number of guys in good touch and it's great for the team that we have other guys in good touch. The way Maxi came and put pressure on them was great. To get 180-190, I didn't expect that and credit to those two boys who are riding on a high. Today was about a lot of planning. Especially at the death, we felt we haven't been as good so far. I thought the bowlers were fantastic tonight - it was pretty wet out there. If the teams have a start like that and you're pushed onto the back foot, you can lose your way. It comes with experience to trust players to do what they do, when it's going well and even when it isn't. The way DK is playing at the moment, he's in the form of his life. What makes it great is he's got a clear plan - he's so calm and composed. So lucky to have him in our side. The dew is a big thing so with the dew, I like the guys to come and tell me if there's dew or not. Today our coach told me that there's going to be no dew but there was so you can't really plan for it. It's just one game at a time - it's really important to stay calm during wins and losses as well.
Rishabh Pant (DC skipper): (Feeling in the dugout when Warner gets out) I think Warner batted beautifully and he gave us every chance to win this game. We cannot blame Marsh, he was playing his first game. That was the only difference that made us lose this game. The wicket got better and better to bat on. That one over from Mustafizur could have been the game for us. I think we could have bowled according to our plan but I think we were slightly under the pump. The way DK was batting was commendable. One side boundary was very short and everyone was taking advantage so I changed Kuldeep's end. I think we are going to talk about what we could have done better as a team. We gotta learn from our mistakes and hopefully win the next one.
Josh Hazlewood: Tonight was a wicket where it was lovely to bat on in the first six. As the game went on, we bowled well. We changed our pace and took it wide from the batters. It's another string in the bow (changing the pace). Tonight worked really well. I think dot balls are key in T20 and are when the batters fell pressure so we wanted to get back-to-back dots. (On the yorker) Tried that in the last game, it all depends on the conditions. Sometimes it rewards the yorkers and sometimes it doesn't. Tonight it was't that kind of day. The atmosphere has been great. We are a side who moves well on the field. Plenty of energy on the field with Maxwell and Virat and Faf.
Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/5 in 20 overs (Dinesh Karthik 66* off 34, Shardul Thakur 1/27 off 4 overs) beat Delhi Capitals 173/7 in 20 overs (David Warner 66 off 38 balls, Josh Hazlewood 3/28 off 4 overs) by 16 runs.
A clinical defense! That's what it was from the Royal Challengers Bangalore and with a bit of dew as well, it wasn't going to be easy by any means despite a big total on the board. More so, when the opposition openers come hammer and tongs after you!
It was quite the start for the Delhi Capitals in pursuit of 190 - with their 50 brought up halfway through the fifth over, David Warner and Prithvi Shaw took the attack to the opposition in some manner. Once the latter fell and Mitchell Marsh arrived though, the struggles began for the Capitals with the Australian failing to get his timing going.
He was bound to look rusty after a layoff due to injury and it showed in the way Marsh just couldn't middle it. Warner got to his half-century and was looking like a million dollars - once he was trapped in front though as he attempted a switch hit, it all came crashing down for the Capitals.
Wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter despite Rishabh Pant bringing out a few cheeky shots over fine leg. Marsh getting run out off a ricochet off Wanindu Hasaranga's fingertips summed up his night and the night for the Capitals on a surface that was on the drier side.
The asking rate continued to skyrocket and it all boiled down to Pant. Shardul Thakur struck a couple of lusty blows but the final nail in the coffin was a one-handed screamer from Virat Kohli that saw the back of Pant and signaled the end for the Capitals. A much-improved bowling performance, particularly from Mohammed Siraj, and the return of Harshal Patel certainly came as a shot in the arm for RCB, who have managed to register their fourth win in six games this season!
In comes Harshal Patel and there's the impact he makes straightaway. Of course, the rest of his colleagues stepped up big time as well but this is the cutting edge that Harshal adds to the RCB outfit. They're back to winning ways and they've won a game defending as well! Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Delhi Capitals by 16 runs!
20
overs
173/7score
4
0
0
4
1
1
runs
Axar Patel*
10(7)
Kuldeep Yadav
10(7)
Harshal Patel
0/40
19.6 Harshal Patel to Axar Patel, short and on the body, Patel rocks onto the back foot, swivels and pulls that towards long leg. The batters trudge across for a single and that will complete the match as RCB emerge victorious by 16 runs!
19.5 Harshal Patel to Kuldeep Yadav, slower full ball on the leg stump line, Yadav advances down the track and swings. Gets the inside edge through the backward square leg region for a single.
Too little, too late for Kuldeep and DC!
19.4 Harshal Patel to Kuldeep Yadav, FOUR! Oh he has connected with that alright! Short delivery and on the body, pace on the delivery and Yadav pulls that through the backward square leg region for a boundary!
All smiles on Kohli's face. Going to be all smiles for the Challengers!
19.3 Harshal Patel to Kuldeep Yadav, no run, a slower length ball on the off stump, Yadav has a big hoick at that but fails to make any connection.
19.2 Harshal Patel to Kuldeep Yadav, no run, length ball outside off angling away, Yadav attempts a fancy reverse-scoop but misses.
Mathematically in it are Delhi!
19.1 Harshal Patel to Kuldeep Yadav, FOUR! Easy pickings! Length delivery bowled on the body, Yadav gets inside the line of the ball and simply helps it on its way to the fine leg fence!
Why didn't you run Axar? He seems to be pointing towards his helmet - did it come off the helmet, catching him off guard? RCB are almost home and with Axar off strike, it has only made their job even easier. Delhi Capitals need 27 to win off the final over!
19
overs
163/7score
W
0
1
4
2
0
runs
Axar Patel*
9(6)
Kuldeep Yadav
1(2)
Josh Hazlewood
3/28
18.6 Josh Hazlewood to Axar Patel, OH! What has happened there? Short of a length ball and on the off stump, Patel slices that in the air. The ball lands between DK and Hazelwood, who were both running in for the catch. Kuldeep is halfway down the track meanwhile and DK decides against the shy at the stumps.