In Delhi Capitals’ team meetings, coach Ricky Ponting and captain David Warner have made no secret of their displeasure when talking to the batters. On Saturday, ‘Player of the Match’ Mitchell Marsh and Philip Salt responded to the challenge posed by Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, the familiar script of an implosion followed soon, which saw Sunrisers win the contest by nine runs.
Chasing 198 for a third straight victory, Capitals looked well on course after half-centuries from Marsh and Salt raised 112 runs for the second wicket following Warner’s departure without a run on the board. At this stage, with the 12th over in progress, Capitals were ahead of Sunrisers.
But in the space of 13 deliveries, the match turned on its head. Sunrisers pulled away by sending back Salt, Manish Pandey and Marsh.
Salt fell to a diving return-catch, Pandey stepped out to be stumped and Marsh mistimed a heave to offer a skier. Soon Priyam Garg stepped out to drag one on to the stumps to become leg-spinner Mayank Markande’s second victim.
Thereafter, the rising required run-rate played its part as Capitals lost more wickets in search of quick runs. Though the eventual margin looks close, Capitals never seriously threatened Sunrisers at the backend of the chase.
By avenging the loss suffered in the previous match, Sunrisers raised their tally to six points, two more than Capitals.
Marsh, who struck four times to prevent Sunrisers from reaching 200 and hit six sixes in his breezy 39-ball 63 to keep Capitals in the hunt, was unlucky to finish on the losing side.
When Sunrisers opted to bat, opener Abhishek Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen took turns to keep Capitals at bay.
Abhishek was particularly severe on Ishant Sharma, whom he hit for six boundaries in the PowerPlay that produced 62 runs and two wickets. Once the left-hander departed for 109, Klaasen took charge. He contributed an unbeaten 53, with four sixes, off the 88 runs scored in his presence, to give Sunrisers a very impressive total.