Miller's redemption seals thrilling win for DC
David Miller redeemed himself with a match-winning boundary off the penultimate ball to seal a thrilling win for Delhi Capitals against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 175/8 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 63; Axar Patel 2-18, Kuldeep Yadav 2-32) lost to Delhi Capitals 179/4 in 19.5 overs (Tristan Stubbs 60*, KL Rahul 57, David Miller 22*; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/26) by six wickets.
| Phase | RCB | DC | RR (RCB – DC) | 4s/6s (RCB – DC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | 59/1 | 50/3 | 9.83 – 8.33 | 6/1 – 5/2 |
| Middle overs | 87/3 | 80/1 | 9.66 – 8.88 | 5/5 – 8/0 |
| Death overs | 29/4 | 49/0 | 5.80 – 9.75 | 1/1 – 2/3 |
DC's Bowling Sets Up the Win
Despite Miller's finish, DC's bowling attack, especially at the death, set up the victory. After RCB were well-placed at 132/4 in the 13th over, Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar applied pressure with tight overs. Axar outfoxed Tim David, and Kuldeep Yadav trapped Romario Shepherd LBW soon after. RCB managed only one four and one six in the death overs, with T Natarajan and Lungi Ngidi closing out the innings effectively.
Earlier, Phil Salt's 63 provided RCB's backbone, but the pitch slowed as the innings progressed.
DC's Chase and Recovery
DC's chase was rocked early by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who reduced them to 18/3. KL Rahul then led the recovery, attacking Josh Hazlewood to help DC reach 50 by the end of the Powerplay. Rahul reached fifty but fell to Krunal Pandya at a crucial juncture.
The Final Twist
With Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs building steadily, DC were in control. However, Axar retired hurt with cramps, bringing David Miller to the crease. Tight overs from Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar at the death raised the pressure, leaving DC needing 25 from the final 12 balls.
Stubbs punished a wayward delivery from Rasikh Dar, but the equation came down to 15 needed from the final over. With his main bowlers exhausted, RCB captain Rajat Patidar was forced to turn to Romario Shepherd. Miller seized the moment, hitting 6, 6, 4 to finish the match with a ball to spare.
Looking Ahead
- RCB: Have a six-day break before hosting Gujarat Titans.
- DC: Travel to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 21.
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