DC's attack on Titan(s) — Gujarat slump to an all-time low

If you have followed Delhi Capitals (DC) this season, you will know that their bowling has not been among the best in the powerplay. Before their game against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad, they had the the worst economy rate (9.5) after Chennai Super Kings (9.6) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (10.5). Moreover, they conceded a boundary every 3.9 deliveries, once again behind CSK and RCB.

While Khaleel Ahmed was one of the best bowlers in the phase with five wickets at an economy rate of 7.4, no other bowler had picked up more than one wicket in overs 1-6. 

But in a matter of six overs against GT, all that changed. Ishant Sharma (2) and Mukesh Sharma (1) came to Khaleel’s aid, but the left-arm pacer played his part too, conceding just 15 in his three overs. Overall, GT managed just 30 in the first six, their lowest in the IPL.

While GT, heading into tonight's clash, had not pressed the accelerator in the powerplay, having a run-rate of just 8, they had lost the fewest wickets (6). Safe to say that, despite batting slowly, they were not a side that liked to give away their wickets that easily. On the night, DC flipped this script entirely. 

They flipped the script by putting GT in very unusual positions.

First up, the Titans were forced to send in David Miller at four, only the fourth time the left-hander has ever batted in the powerplay for the franchise. Miller, a finisher by nature, found himself walking back to the pavilion inside five overs of the match.

Plus, only for the second time in his career, Sai Sudharsan – GT’s most dependable batter this season – was dismissed inside the first 10 balls in IPL. GT are so used to Sudharsan playing the anchor role by batting through the innings, but that did not happen tonight.

Now on to the big one. Shubman Gill.

Before the clash tonight, Gill had scored 666 runs at 83.25 (SR 168.2) in the IPL in Ahmedabad while batting first. He is near invincible here when he bats first. But today was not his day either. He was dismissed for eight  – which is only the third time he has registered a score under 30 at the venue. And here’s the kicker: two of these innings have come against DC.

This was a fresh wicket in Ahmedabad, it was pitted to be a high-scoring game. Clearly, GT did not assess the conditions well early on. Before they had any time to react, they had already lost half their side in the ninth over. Eventually, they lasted just nine more overs to get bundled out for 89 - their lowest total in IPL history.

Moreover, there was extra bounce for the spinners, with even part-time Tristan Stubbs wreaking havoc with a couple of wickets. Rishabh Pant, who got those two stumpings off Stubbs, deserves credit for reading the track better and getting the South African into the attack. 

More to Stubbs’ credit though, the 23-year-old also became the first bowler since Rahul Tewatia in 2020 vs CSK to register two stumping dismissals in the same match. His victims were Abhinav Manohar and impact player Shahrukh Khan. A masterstroke indeed by Pant.

The stupendous powerplay for DC broke GT’s back like never before and they have been bowled out for just the third time in IPL history and FIRST TIME in Ahmedabad. 

This game was pretty reminiscent of the same fixture last season where GT fell five runs short in pursuit of 131. Like today, batting was not easy even last year here, but a target of just 90 could potentially see GT lose to Delhi twice in two years in Ahmedabad. 

Out of nowhere, the Capitals have become the Titans' bogey team. 

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