If Rishabh Pant could pick a day where everything went perfectly for his side, this would be it. From dismissing GT for 89 in under 18 overs to chasing the target down inside 9 overs, DC were relentless and unstoppable in every aspect of the game. Batting, bowling, fielding, stumping, catching – they excelled in areas, registering a six-wicket win in Ahmedabad.
DC bowlers dismantle GT batting line-up
It began with a poor shot from the Gujarat Titans captain, Shubman Gill, who chipped the ball straight to Prithvi Shaw at cover, setting the tone for the hosts’ struggles. Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller appeared out of touch after their recent absences from the playing XI. Sai Sudarshan, despite a promising start, was run out brilliantly by all-rounder Sumit Kumar in the field. Before they realised it, GT found themselves in deep trouble. With four wickets down in the powerplay, a recovery seemed unlikely, and credit to the DC bowlers who maintained pressure throughout.
The entire DC bowling unit contributed. Ishant Sharma took early wickets, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav applied pressure in the middle overs, Mukesh Kumar accounted for a couple of dismissals, and part-timer Tristan Stubbs also chipped in with two breakthroughs. Although Kuldeep went wicketless, he was economical in his four-over spell.
Brilliant captaincy by Pant
At the toss, Pant hesitated slightly before choosing to bowl, but his bowlers ran through the GT batters, who seemed lost at times. Pant also led the team with aplomb. The highlight package might not show it, but his decision-making was spot on. Khaleel and Ishant started well, yet he brought Mukesh Kumar into the powerplay as the first change bowler. Mukesh only needed five deliveries to vindicate his captain’s decision by dismissing Saha. Against everyone’s expectations, Tristan Stubbs, a part-timer, was given the ball in the ninth over. This decision was even more surprising as he was introduced before Axar Patel, DC’s frontline spinner. However, this decision paid off well, with Stubbs taking two wickets in the only over he bowled. The DC bowlers’ performance was impeccable, and Pant’s decision-making was on the top of it.
Horrific batting display by GT
One might argue that the pitch was slow, with occasional balls keeping low, but many of the GT batters fell victim to poor decision-making, severely impacting their NRR. Some shot choices were baffling. Not only did GT batters struggle against DC’s main bowlers, but they also gifted wickets to DC’s part-timer, Stubbs. Only three GT batters reached double figures, which tells the story of their innings.
Easy run-chase for the Capitals
After bowling out GT for 89, DC came down hard on the home side’s bowlers. Jake Fraser-McGurk’s aggressive batting gave the visitors a brisk start. Although DC lost four wickets while going after the GT bowlers, they comfortably crossed the finish line with skipper Pant remaining unbeaten. There were some hiccups during the run chase, but the target was too small for the home side to defend.