MATCH STORY
Follow UsThere were a few similarities in the clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday (May 7) and Match 34 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 played between the same sides. It must have definitely had a deja vu in the final over.
In Match 34 of the 2022 edition, Powell needed to hit every ball of the last over for a six for his side Delhi, against Rajasthan. This time, facing the last over again, this time for Rajasthan against Delhi, Powell was in a similar situation, needing 28 off five balls.
However, the similarities began in an unpleasant way in the 16th over itself, right before Powell walked in to bat. There were moments around Sanju Samson’s dismissal that would have reminded Powell of that game two years ago.
On the fourth ball of the 16th over, Samson slapped a length ball from Mukesh Kumar down the ground, looking for a six. However, his connection wasn’t clean, which brought Shai Hope, stationed at long-on, into play. Hope took the catch, but the momentum carried him towards the rope. The 30-year-old tiptoed around the ropes and somehow balanced himself within the fence. With the boots coming quite close to the boundary cushions, the decision was sent upstairs.
The third umpire checked a couple of angles without finding any movement on the cushions. The decision was ruled in DC’s favour, adjudging Samson out.
Samson had started to walk off after seeing the replays. However, when the big screen showed ‘OUT’, he trudged back in for a chat with the on-field umpires. The umpires explained something to him, and the RR skipper had a despondent look on his face. He then tried to review the third umpire’s decision but was too late (or it wasn’t allowed). Samson’s sublime knock of 86 from 46 balls came to an end.
Quite similarly, in Match 34 in IPL 2022, Powell had hit Obed McCoy for three sixes in the final over. The third six came off a high full toss which wasn’t called a no-ball. The game came to a halt as DC demanded a no-ball but the umpires stuck to their on-field call. In more drama, Pravin Amre, a member of DC’s support staff, walked on the ground for a word with the on-field umpires. However, the on-field call remained intact.
This time, Powell walked in to bat for RR against DC after Samson’s departure. He was already on the field when Samson was in discussion with the umpires.
Samson’s wicket turned the match in DC’s favour. His 86 with six sixes kept RR in the game. They needed 60 off 27 balls, not a stern task given the standards set in this season, when Samson was out. Post his dismissal, RR managed only 39 runs from those 27 deliveries.
Unfortunately for Powell, he ended on the losing side in both these fixtures.
The scores in both these matches were also quite similar. In 2022, RR amassed 222 batting first with DC replying with 207 runs on the board. Here, DC batted first and mounted 221 runs and RR, having scored 201, fell 20 runs short.
