IPL 2023: All-round Rajasthan Royals defeat Delhi Capitals by 57 runs, sink visitors to third straight loss in competition

Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 8 : Fiery bowling spell by Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult, coupled with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal & Jos Buttler helped all-round Rajasthan Royals sink Delhi Capitals to their third straight loss at the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023, defeating the visitors by 57 runs at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
In the chase of massive 200 runs, Delhi Capitals started poorly as they lost their 2 wickets without scoring a single run in the very first over. DC opener Prithvi Shaw, who had substituted Khaleel Ahmed as an Impact player, was dismissed by Trent Boult in the third ball of the over whereas Manish Pandey also became the target of pacer Boult's lethal bowling.
Coping up with the early losses, David Warner & Rilee Rossouw tried to steady the innings. However, Rossouw innings did not last long as he became the target of R Ashwin's ball in 5.4 overs, caught by fielder Yashasvi Jaiswal. He scored 14 runs off 12 balls consisting two fours. DC was struggling at 36/3 in five overs.
After end of power play, DC scored 38/3 in 6 overs, with Warner (19*) joined by Lalit Yadav (2*).
Murugan Ashwin replaced Jos Buttler as impact player for RR.
DC reached the 50 runs mark in 8.2 overs with a single by Lalit Yadav.
With Ashwin's 2 wides in 10th over, DC scored 68/3 with Warner (33*) and Lalit (16*) unbeaten.
11th over bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal gave away 15 runs including two fours by Lalit, the duo brought up their 50 runs partnership by just 33 balls.
With help of a four by Lalit, DC crossed the 100-run mark in 12.5 overs.
Boult got his third wicket in the form of Lalit. DC was 100/4 in 13 overs with Lalit dismissed for 38 runs off 24 balls.
Chahal got his first wicket in 14.5 overs after Sanju Sanson stumped vice-captain Axar Patel for 2 runs off 6 balls. After 15 overs, DC was 113/5 with David batting for 49 off 43 balls
Warner brought up his 57th half-century in IPL after smashing Ashwin for a four in 15.1 overs.
Ashwin took the wicket of Rovman Powell with the assistance of Hetmyer's safe hands at deep mid-wicket, he was batting at 2 runs off 2 balls. DC was 118/6 in 15.3 overs.
In 18.2 overs, Chahal got his second wicket, after Hetmyer caught Abishek Porel at deep midwicket for just seven runs. After Abishek's dismissal, Warner was trapped leg before wicket by Chahal in the same over. Warner scored 65 runs off 55 balls with seven fours. DC sunk to 139/8 in 19 overs.
In the final over, Sandeep bowled exceptionally as he took one wicket of Nortje (0) and giving just 3 runs.
DC finished their innings at 142/9 in their 20 overs. Chahal (3/27) and Boult (3/29) were the pick of the bowlers for RR. Ravichandran Ashwin took 2/25 in his four overs while Sandeep got one wicket.
Earlier, half-centuries from openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler powered Rajasthan Royals to a massive 199/4 in their 20 overs during their Indian Premier League 2023 match against Delhi Capitals at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
Put to bat first, Rajasthan Royals's openers were dealing in boundaries; Yashasvi Jaiswal started the innings with a crackling four and punished Khaleel Ahmed with five fours, including a hat-trick of fours, scoring 20 runs in his over. After Jaiswal, Jos Buttler took the strike and hit Anrich Nortje for three fours.
In just four overs, RR scored 50 runs without losing any wicket. Both the openers seemed in great form. RR was on 68/0 in six overs at the end of the power play. Over six overs the Delhi Capitals despite tried out five of their bowlers found no success in breaking the opening partnership of Jaiswal and Buttler.
Jaiswal clinched his 50 with style, hitting Axar Patel for a boundary in the second last ball of the seventh over, and scored 50 off 25 balls.
DC's reliable bowler Kuldeep Yadav also went expensive in the eighth over and got punished with one six and two fours, giving away 17 runs.
After a long wait of eight overs, DC finally got Jaiswal's wicket who was batting in 60 (31) after right-arm medium bowler Mukesh Kumar got him in 8.3 overs. RR was 98/1. Mukesh's ninth over came in handy as he gave only two runs after the breakthrough of Jaiswal.
In the 9.1 over Rajasthan Royals crossed the mark of 100 runs but after one ball, RR lost the wicket of in-form batter Sanju Samson for a four-ball duck, spinner Kuldeep Yadav got the wicket with the assistance of Anrich Nortje. RR was 103/2 in 9.5 overs.
At the end of 10 overs, RR was 103/2, with Buttler (40*) joined by Riyan Parag (0*).
Buttler made his second half-century of IPL 2023 in just 32 balls consisting seven fours and one six.
Rovman Powell cleared up Riyan Parag in his first over, sending the batter for just seven runs off 11 balls. RR was 126/3 in 13.5 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, RR was 130/3, with Buttler (58*) joined by Shimron Hetmyer (1*). with the help of six from Hetmyer,
RR crossed the 150 mark in 16.3 overs.
Mukesh got his second wicket and he put an end to Buttler's knock of 79 in 51 balls consisting of 11 fours and a six. 49-run partnership between Hetymer and Buttler also came to an end with this. RR was 175/4 in 18.3 overs.
Dhruv Jurel started his innings with a six over the wide-mid wicket to Mukesh.
Hetymer playing the role of finisher, hit a six on the first ball of the final over bowled by Nortje.
RR ended their innings at 199/4, with Hetymer (39*) and Dhruv (8*) unbeaten.
Mukesh Kumar, the leading bowler for DC, took 2/36 in his four overs. Kuldeep and Rovman also got a wicket each.
Brief scores: RR: 199/4 (Jos Buttler 79, Yashasvi Jaiswal 60, Mukesh Kumar 2/36) defeated DC 142/9 (David Warner 65, Lalit Yadav 38, Yuzvendra Chahal 3/27) by 57 runs.