IPL 2018: 32nd Match, Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals - Five Game-Changing Moments

The 32nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed a clash between the teams at the bottom half of the table, Delhi Daredevils (DD) and Rajasthan Royals (DD), at Ferozshah Kotla on Wednesday (May 2) night.

In a match affected by rain, it was the hosts who ended up on the winning side by a margin of just four runs, by Duck-Worth Lewis (DLS) method, avenging the loss at Jaipur earlier in the tournament.

Here are the five game-changing moments in the match.

Prithvi Shaw’s explosive start:

Prithvi Shaw started off Delhi’s batting efforts perfectly with an explosive start.

The Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers had no answers to some of the shots played by the teenage prodigy from Mumbai.

Shaw scored 47 off just 25 deliveries, comprising of four boundaries and as many maximums, at an explosive strike rate of 188.

Daredevils were well and truly on the way to score a mammoth total on a visible batsmen’s paradise, after the pyrotechnics in the powerplays.

Iyer-Pant partnership:

After the wickets of Colin Munro and Prithvi Shaw, the usual suspects for Daredevils, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant, cashed in the middle overs, with their brand of fireworks.

The two added a whopping 92 runs in just seven overs – to take the game away from the visitors.

Both Iyer and Pant notched up their respective fifties in the IPL, this season, to display their form.

Pant played the stand-out knock in the match for his 29-ball 69. The southpaw smashed seven boundaries and five monumental sixes, smashing at a mind-boggling rate of 237.

Iyer, on the other hand, scored a 35-ball 50, to register his second consecutive half-century at Kotla.

Unadkat’s spell:

Even though Jaydev Unadkat was at his usual expensive self, the multi-million dollar man had three big wickets to show for at the death.

With the help of his off-cutters and deception, Unadkat chipped in with the wickets of Iyer, Pant, and the dangerous looking Vijay Shankar.

The three wickets at the back end easily made a difference of about 25 runs to the final total, on the run fest.

Jos Buttler’s fastest fifty for Royals:

After scoring heaps of runs at an explosive strike rate for Mumbai Indians (MI) last year at the opening slot, Buttler was languishing down the order for the Royals throughout the season.

However, after the rain interval and a steep required run rate, Rahane decided to step down and allow Jos Buttler to take guard.

Buttler responded to the situation brilliantly by scoring the quickest fifty for Royals in the history of IPL (18 balls).

Also, Buttler made a statement regarding him forced to play 18 balls every match, coming in at number five.

The English international set up the steep run chase with his blistering 26-ball 67, at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 257.

Buttler went on to hit seven sixes in his knock apart from the four boundaries he hit.

Boult’s masterclass:

The Purple Cap holder of IPL, Trent Boult displayed his masterclass yet again with the ball, to end up with figures of two for 26 in his three overs.

With respect to the high scoring match, Boult figures were as good as gold, both during the death as well as the new ball.

In the end, it was Boult’s spell which made the difference for Delhi Daredevils as they won the match by four runs by DLS method.

Also, Read: IPL 2018: Twitter Reacts as Daredevils Beat Rajasthan Royals in a Thriller