By K Aditya
Abu Dhabi, Sep 25 (UNI) Rajasthan Royals fast bolwers Mustafizzur Rahman (2/22) and Chetan Sakariya (2/33) used pace variations to perfection to restrict Delhi Capitals at 154/6 in match 36 of IPL 2021 here on Saturday.
For Delhi, former skipper Shreyas Iyer (43 runs off 32), Shimron Hetmyer (28 off 16) and captain Rishabh Pant (24 off 24) did most of the scoring on a patchy pitch of Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The surface had enough help bowlers as Rajasthan pacers Kartik Tyagi (1/40) and Sakariya kept the Delhi openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw guessing with their variations. They soon reaped rewards with two wickets inside the powerplay. Dhawan (8 off 8) was the first to depart after last-match hero Tyagi played him down. Shaw (10 off 12) was next to follow after Sakariya nicely set him up with just 21 runs on the board in 4.1 overs.
Iyer and captain Pant then adopted the traditional approach of settling down first on the slow Abu Dhabi surface with the next four overs yielding just 26 runs.
Once comfortable, the duo used selective aggression to add pace to the scoreboard with 32 runs in the next three overs to take DC to 79 runs in 11 overs.
However, re-introduction of pacer Rahman soon pulled Royals back in the game with the big wicket of Pant (24 off 24) in the next over.
Soon after, Former captain Iyer (43 off 32) was outfoxed by Rahul Tewatia (1/17) leaving Delhi courting trouble at 90/4.
In at No. 5, Hetmyer breathed life back into DC innings with five boundaries in two overs (including three off Tyagi in the 16th over) while Lalit Yadav held on to the other end.
Hetmyer's 15-ball 28 cameo was ended by Rahman in the next over with Delhi 121/5.
Sakariya then picked another DC wicket in Axar Patel (12* off 7) as Yadav (14* off 15) and Ashwin (6* off 6) took the side to 154/6 by the end of the innings.
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