IPL 2023: Prithvi Shaw, Rilee Rossouw slam half-centuries for DC

Incredible knocks from Rilee Rossouw and Prithvi Shaw drove Delhi Capitals (DC) to 213/2 against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. Shaw and David Warner stitched a 94-run stand for the opening wicket. The former bounced back with an incredible half-century. Rilee Rossouw smashed an unbeaten 82 to give DC a strong finish.

Shaw complemented Warner in the first half of the innings. The former raced to his half-century off 36 balls in the 14th over. Shaw, who re-entered the Playing XI, proved his mettle at the right juncture. Interestingly, it was Shaw's first half-century in 13 IPL innings. He slammed 54 off 38 balls, a knock laced with 7 fours and 1 six.

This was just the second instance of DC not losing a wicket in the Powerplay this season. This last happened in the reverse fixture against PBKS in Delhi. Warner and Phil Salt had added 65 in the first six overs. Notably, Warner and Shaw added 94 runs tonight, the highest opening partnership for DC in the ongoing season.

Rossouw came to the middle after Sam Curran broke the crucial partnership between Warner and Shaw. The South African batter came out all guns blazing, having started his innings with a boundary. Rossouw hammered his maiden half-century in the IPL, recording his career-best score (82* off 37 balls, 4s: 6, 6s: 6). He managed 127 runs in seven matches before this match.

Rossouw has raced past 3,700 runs (3,731) at number three in T20s. He has an average and a strike rate of 40.11 and 159.71, respectively. As per Cricbuzz, no other batter has more hundreds and a higher strike rate from number three (T20s).