Vice-captain Faf du Plessis played a magnificent 27-ball half-century as Delhi Capitals dominated Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets, maintaining their unbeaten run in IPL 2025 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
Mitchell Starc's magnificent 5-35, aided by Kuldeep Yadav's 3-22, held SRH back to 163 in 18.4 overs. Du Plessis then demonstrated his wizardry with a stylish innings, hitting three fours and three sixes at an amazing strike rate of 185.19.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (38), KL Rahul (15), Abishek Porel (34*) and Tristan Stubbs (21*) were all useful in support as DC overran the target with four overs to spare. For SRH, young leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari impressed, taking 3-42 in a four-over effort.
While pursuing 164, Fraser-McGurk began boldly by slog-sweeping Abhishek Sharma for six, while du Plessis pulled Mohammed Shami for a six. Though Fraser-McGurk did experience some nervy moments, including two drops by Aniket Verma and Pat Cummins, du Plessis was in sheer touch, slamming boundaries off Shami, Abhishek, and Cummins. His six off Cummins over extra cover was especially thrilling.
After Fraser-McGurk drove an uppish four off Ansari, du Plessis reached his half-century in just 26 balls. However, their commanding 81-run opening stand ended in the next over as du Plessis mistimed a slog to long-on, handing Ansari his maiden IPL wicket. Fraser-McGurk then took charge, smashing Ansari for two fours and a six before chipping one back to the bowler for 38.
KL Rahul, on his debut for DC, began with a streaky boundary before displaying his class with a slog-swept six and a lofted four off Shami. His 15 came to an end when he walked too far across in trying a sweep against Ansari and was bowled around the legs, his leg stump uprooted.
Abishek Porel kept DC on course by thrashing Abhishek Sharma for four before blasting Ansari for a six and a four. Stubbs joined the fun, hitting Harshal Patel for four and then pulling and driving Wiaan Mulder for consecutive boundaries. Porel completed the chase with panache, hitting Mulder for a huge six, as DC completed their Visakhapatnam sojourn on a high note.
Brief Scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad – 163/18.4 overs (Aniket Verma 74, Heinrich Klaasen 32; Mitchell Starc 5-35, Kuldeep Yadav 3-22)
Delhi Capitals – 166/3 in 16 overs (Faf du Plessis 50, Jake Fraser-McGurk 38; Zeeshan Ansari 3-42)
Result: DC won by seven wickets.
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