Rajasthan Royals hosted Delhi Capitals in the 40th match o IPL 2019 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Monday (April 22).

After being put into bat, RR lost the wicket of Sanju Samson early, who was run out without facing a ball. Coming in to bat at number 3, captain Steve Smith and Ajinkya Rahane then stitched together a 135-run partnership for the second wicket. Smith brought up his 8th IPL half-century and departed the very next ball for 50. Ben Stokes (8) and Ashton Turner (0) failed to contribute with the bat but Rahane remained firm at one end and notched up his second IPL ton off 58 balls. Rahane finished with 105 not out off 63 balls (11 fours and 3 sixes) while Stuart Binny played a cameo of 13-ball 19 as Rajasthan eventually piled up 191/6 in 20 overs.

In reply, DC got off to a flier with Shikhar Dhawan smashing the RR bowlers to all parts of the ground. Dhawan scored 54 off 27 deliveries (8 fours and 2 sixes) and shared a 72-run opening stand with Prithvi Shaw in 7.3 overs.

After a brisk start, Delhi lost Dhawan and captain Shreyas Iyer (4) in quick succession. With 115 needed off 67 balls, Rishabh Pant joined Shaw at the crease. The duo batted with intent and didn’t let the scoring rate creep up. Shaw and Pant put on 84 runs for the third wicket to put DC in a commanding position.

Shreyas Gopal got rid of Shaw (42 off 39 balls) in the 17th over which led to Sherfane Rutherford’s arrival in the middle. Rutherford played a cameo of 5-ball 11 with two boundaries to help DC inch closer to the target while Pant went berserk after completing his fifty. The southpaw hit Jofra Archer for 11 runs in the penultimate over and smoked Jaydev Unadkat for a six in the second delivery of the 20th over to guide Delhi Capitals over the line with 6 wickets in hand.

Cricket experts on Twitter were in awe of Pant who made the mockery of Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack with his special knock of 36-ball 78*, including 6 boundaries and 4 sixes.

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