13 runs were needed from 4 balls… The batsman overpowered the bowler, single-handedly turned the match.

New Delhi. David Miller once again proved why he is called ‘Killer Miller’. In this exciting match played at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Delhi Capitals dashed the hopes of Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 wickets. While chasing the target of 176 runs, Delhi had a very bad start and due to the lethal bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the team lost 3 wickets for just 18 runs in the powerplay. However, the restrained batting of KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs held the innings, but in the end the equation became difficult. When 15 runs were needed in the last over, there was immense pressure on Miller at the crease, especially after he had failed to finish the match in a similar situation in the previous match against Gujarat Titans.

Only 2 runs came on the first two balls of the last over, which increased the pressure further. But after this, David Miller took full advantage of Romario Shepherd’s weak balls. Miller changed the course of the match by hitting a six of 87 meters on the third ball. On the very next ball, he hit another brilliant six over extra cover, which silenced the RCB fans. In the end, Miller gave his team a memorable victory by hitting a four on a low full-toss in 19.5 overs. After the win, head coach Hemang Badani congratulated him with a hug, which was a big moment for Miller to make amends for the mistake of the previous match and for Delhi to strengthen its position in the tournament. Miller scored unbeaten 22 runs on 10 balls while Stubbs scored unbeaten 60 runs on 47 balls.

The pair of Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul started the innings for Delhi Capitals to chase the target of 176 runs set by RCB. Only two runs were added to DC’s total score when Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave a big blow to Delhi by getting Nissanka out LBW. Nissanka was out after scoring one run. After this, Karun Nair also could not stay at the crease for long and returned to the pavilion after scoring five runs. Nair was also dismissed by Bhuvi. Bhuvi also gave a blow to RCB by dismissing Sameer Rizvi. Rizvi was out after scoring 2 runs. On the score of 18, Delhi lost its 3 big wickets. KL Rahul scored 57 runs in 34 balls which included six fours and two sixes.

Despite opener Phil Salt’s aggressive innings of 63 runs in 38 balls, RCB scored 175 runs for eight wickets against Delhi. Salt hit four fours and three sixes in his innings, but Axar Patel (18/2), Kuldeep Yadav (32/2) and Lungi Ngidi (39/2) did not give other batsmen a chance to score runs quickly. Mukesh Kumar also got a success. Salt gave a strong start to the team by making a partnership of 52 runs in 31 balls with Virat Kohli (19) for the first wicket and 47 runs in 29 balls with Devdutt Padikkal (18) for the second wicket, but after his dismissal in the 11th over, no batsman except Tim David (26 runs in 17 balls) could score runs quickly.

Salt hit a four against Auqib Nabi in the first over, while Kohli used his feet on Mukesh’s ball and scored four runs over extra cover. After this, in the next over also he went outside the leg stump and hit a four. Salt, playing cautiously, scored 18 runs against Nabi by hitting two fours and the first six of the innings in the fifth over, thereby completing the team’s half-century. Lungi Ngidi ended the half-century partnership for the first wicket by dismissing Kohli on the very first ball in the next over. Salt welcomed Natarajan with a four, while Padikkal also showed aggressive attitude by hitting a six against this bowler. Salt completed his half-century in 30 balls by hitting a six against Kuldeep Yadav.

Captain Axar Patel got Padikkal (18) caught by David Miller in his opening over itself, while Kuldeep got Salt caught by Tristan Stubbs after hitting a six in the 11th over. Tim David, who was in great form, hit a six and a four against Ngidi, but captain Rajat Patidar (eight) got caught by wicketkeeper KL Rahul while trying to play a big shot on Mukesh’s ball. David hit a four against Axar Patel, but was later caught by Natarajan at short third man while trying to play a big shot. Kuldeep dismissed Romario Shepherd (1) LBW and sent him to the pavilion early.

Krunal Pandya (12) tried to increase the run rate by hitting a six against Ngidi, but he was run out in the last over. Jitesh Sharma was also seen struggling and scored 14 runs in 20 balls. RCB scored only 29 runs after losing four wickets in the last five overs.