NEW DELHI: In trouble? Call Mitchell Starc. That’s exactly what Axar Patel did when things got tense. With just 9 runs to defend in the final over, he turned to his strike bowler — and Starc delivered.
Yorker after yorker, Starc kept the pressure high and the fans on edge. Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer managed to survive the heat but couldn’t find the boundaries needed. The match ended in a thrilling tie, pushing the contest into the first Super Over of IPL 2025.
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Starc returned for the Super Over, taking the ball once again with ice in his veins. Rajasthan Royals managed just 11 runs, setting Delhi Capitals a target of 12.
Enter KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs, with Sandeep Sharma bowling.
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Rahul started with a couple, followed it up with a crisp boundary, and handed over the strike after a single. Stubbs needed no second invitation — he launched Sandeep into the stands, sealing a dramatic win for Delhi Capitals.
It was their first win at home this season, and it took them right back to the top of the table. As the players celebrated, the ‘Dilli re, Roar Macha!’ anthem echoed through the Kotla — a perfect end to a pulsating night of cricket.
SANDEEP FAILED FROM ‘BOTH ENDS’
Tension was palpable in the Rajasthan Royals dugout. Sanju Samson wore a frustrated look behind the stumps as Sandeep Sharma — one of their most trusted bowlers at the death — lost his rhythm when it mattered the most. Tasked with bowling the final over, Sandeep’s six legal deliveries stretched into a chaotic 11-ball over: Wd 0 Wd Wd Wd N1 4 6 1 1 1 — a rare meltdown from the usually reliable pacer.
Delhi Capitals finished their innings at 188/5, and the mood in their camp was upbeat. Smiles lit up their dugout, with players clearly satisfied with what looked like a competitive total.
Opener Abishek Porel, who set the tone early with the bat, sounded confident in the mid-innings chat with the broadcasters.
“The plan was to go hard in the powerplay which would make it easier later on. If you bowl slower, it is helpful on this wicket and hopefully our bowlers do well. A very good total on this wicket,” he said.
But Rajasthan Royals had other ideas.
They came out all guns blazing, dismantling Delhi’s bowling attack from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone with a brisk 51, while Sanju Samson, before retiring hurt on 31, ensured the momentum stayed firmly in Rajasthan’s corner.
And then came Nitish Rana, who played a stunning knock of 51 off 28 balls to give a big home but star pacer Starc pulled things back in Delhi’s favour.
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When the match headed into a Super Over, Sandeep found himself in the spotlight once again — a chance at redemption after a forgettable final over.
But pressure mounted, and history repeated itself.
Sandeep struggled to hold his nerve, failing to apply any real pressure. Delhi Capitals chased down the target in just four deliveries, sealing a memorable win and leaving Sandeep with another tough outing to reflect on.
KL RAHUL MANIA
“Bhaiya, plain t-shirt hai ya kissi player ke naam wali jersey?” — a curious fan asked a t-shirt vendor stationed outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium, just an hour and a half before the Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals clash.
The seller replied, “Sirf KL Rahul ki hai.” One fan bought it. Then another. Soon, a line of eager customers formed, each asking for different sizes, as the buzz around KL Rahul gripped the scene outside the stadium.
Interestingly, the jersey bore the Delhi Capitals colours, but had “KL Rahul” and the number 01 printed on the back — a curious sight, yet a clear sign of the mania surrounding the star batter.
Inside the Kotla, it was a vibrant sea of blue and red.
The atmosphere reached a crescendo when the stadium DJ dropped the “Dilli re, Roar Macha!” anthem — and right on cue, KL Rahul cleared his front leg to send a slot ball from Tushar Deshpande soaring over long-off. The crowd erupted.
Rahul’s knock was entertaining, albeit not blistering. He scored 38 runs off 32 deliveries before falling to Jofra Archer — notably, the first time Archer managed to dismiss Rahul in IPL history.
And he showed his composure in the Super Over too, delivering under pressure and giving fans a treat to watch.
AXAR’S FIRST WICKET OF IPL 2025
“We perhaps got too casual in the middle phase,” admitted Axar Patel after Delhi Capitals’ unbeaten run was halted by Mumbai Indians in their previous outing.
Before the clash against Rajasthan Royals, a quick glance at Axar’s IPL 2025 stats painted a worrying picture: 67 runs, 0 wickets in 5 matches — far from the impact expected from the captain and star allrounder.
Trolled heavily for throwing his wicket away against Mumbai, Axar walked out to a mix of pressure and expectation. But amidst loud chants of “Bapu! Bapu!” echoing around the Kotla, he responded like a true leader — smashing a fiery 34 off just 14 balls, laced with four boundaries and two sixes.
The crowd, however, erupted when he made an impact with the ball. Coming in just when his team needed a breakthrough, Axar cleaned up Riyan Parag for 8 — his first wicket of IPL 2025. The dismissal came at a crucial juncture, especially after Sanju Samson had to retire hurt on 31.
Axar had finally delivered with both bat and ball — and the Kotla faithful made sure he knew it.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
