IPL SRL | RCB vs DC Evaluation Chart: Stoinis fireworks light up Chinnaswamy as DC steamroll RCB

07/03/2020

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In what was unarguably the finest and most destructive batting display in the SRL history, Marcus Stoinis played the ultimate innings of the competition to land Delhi Capitals a 56-run win. The win was further complimented by Delhi pacers, who accounted for eight Bangalore batsmen in the game.

Match Review

Bowling first, RCB bowlers justified Virat Kohli’s decision with some early blows that downed the Delhi top-order to 44/3 inside the powerplay. But as has been the case lately, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer got together to stitch a valuable 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take the team out of troubled waters. But the dismissal of Pant in the 15th over was the ultimate sucker punch for the hosts, as Marcus Stoinis, tearing Yuzvendra Chahal for 18 runs in one over, made his intent clear. After that, it was all hunky-dory for Delhi Capitals as Stoinis smashed an incredible 75 off 25 balls, with Iyer being a mute spectator at the other end waiting for his half-century. He remained unbeaten on 47 as DC posted a handsome 195/4 in 20 overs.

RCB needed their top-order to stand up and deliver in the big run chase, but just when it mattered the most, they flopped. Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli’s dismissals were followed by Aaron Finch, who scored 20 runs. Reduced to 44/3 in the 6th Over, RCB could still have made up for it with AB de Villiers around but that was not to be when Keemo Paul got rid of the South African for 26. It was just a formality afterwards with Kagiso Rabada and Ishant Sharma bringing an end to the match with three wickets in the last two overs, as the visitors secured a 56-run win

You can check out the live scorecard and the match tracker here

Turning Point

The 16th Over of the DC innings turned the game for good. After Rishabh Pant was dismissed for a 33-ball 40 in the 15th over, Marcus Stoinis collected 18 runs in the very next over to ensure a level playing field. The scorecard bears the answer to what happened afterwards and the eventual result tells us more about that particular over.

Highs and Lows

Can I really look any further for the ultimate high in the game? Marcus Stoinis not just thrilled with his 25-ball 75, he literally tore into RCB’s heart for letting him go after one bad season of IPL. When Stoinis arrived, the game was still evenly poised, with DC trying to make amends for their top-order failure, but boy didn’t he turn the game around completely! I will take some time to recover from this!

Remember that game against SRH when AB single-handedly turned the match around to land RCB an improbable victory? Many expected AB to do an encore but it was a rather ordinary batting display today. Especially the period between 6th and 9th over when the South African batted cautiously, with the team adding 20 runs in four overs. This was surely the lowest of low in the game.

Rating Charts

Powerplay exploitation: Delhi 4/10 Bangalore 4/10

On one end with the bat is Shikhar Dhawan, with a gangster mood, and at the other side, streaming in, Umesh Yadav, ready to land some lusty blows. The fight was really interesting to see, with the southpaw batting out of his skin to make up for the lack of contribution from Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane, who scored a total of 5 runs between them before being dismissed by the Vidarbha speedster. After the Delhite was actually dismissed in the 5th over for a 19-ball 25, Delhi Capitals were reduced to 44/3 when the field restrictions were lifted - a truly moderate outcome.

If DC’s powerplay exploitation was bad, then RCB’s was even worse. This period saw the hosts losing their top-order batsmen - Aaron Finch, Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli - for a total of 53 runs of which the majority was scored by AB de Villiers. Ishant Sharma, replicating Umesh, accounted for both the openers while Kagiso Rabada had the prized scalp of Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for a duck again. That broke their back as far as having a chance in the game concerned.

Middle-overs manoeuvring: Delhi 5.5/10 Bangalore 2/10

Pretty much as they done all tournament in the Super Sixes SRL, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer ensured Delhi were better placed for a death-over carnage, when they threw caution to aggression to 72 runs for the fourth wicket. The way they defied the RCB bowlers while resurrecting the side from a possible implosion was the story of the day. Failing to pick only one wicket in the entire period - that too in the 15th over itself - the hosts could count the damage they did, even though only 68 runs were scored in nine overs.

This was the most crucial phase in the encounter for more reasons than one, for AB de Villiers is one batsman who possesses the ability to change the course of the match. But he too stayed silent, with Sandeep Lamichhane and Ravichandran Ashwin tying the Protean with accurate bowling displays. After five consecutive overs of batting, which failed to yield more than five runs even once, de Villiers perished, leaving RCB in the middle of a dire road. So much so that, the side could add a total of 59 runs in the nine-over phase, shutting down the door for any favourable result.

Death bowling: Delhi 7/10 Bangalore 0.5/10

After 15 decently impressive overs, Bangalore were left to rue their misfortune as their former player Marcus Stoinis donned his destructive avatar to literally smash every single delivery that came his way. Umesh conceded 41 runs in his own overs, Saini gave away 19 in his one over, and Chahal was taken to cleaners for 18. All in all, Delhi collected 84 runs in the last five - I am not even joking - to ensure RCB’s good work done in previous phases would amount for a little.

The match was virtually over when the death over phase started but kudos to Delhi bowlers for keeping their cool to have a strong finish. Contrary to the time they were batting, Delhi bowlers ensured they didn’t give away any loose overs and that resulted in the side securing a colossal 56-run win. Almost as a regulation, Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada picked three wickets in the last two overs to close the deal.

Match Frenzy O Meter - Good

On another day, I would have considered this game a dull affair but for what Stoinis managed to do towards the backend of the Delhi innings, c'mon, there can’t be any second opinion. It was a savagely stunning performance.