Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs and Bowlers keep DC’s playoff hopes alive with win against LSG

The 50s command of Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs was complemented by a clinical bowling effort as Delhi Capitals kept their slim IPL play-off hopes alive with a 19-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in their final league game on Tuesday. Porel (58 off 33 balls) and Shai Hope (38 off 27 balls) shared 92 runs off 49 balls to give the hosts an aggressive start. Tristan Stubbs (57 not out off 25) then hit three fours and four maximums in his blitzkrieg and added 47 and 50 runs with Rishabh Pant (33) and Axar Patel (14 not out) to take the DC to 208 for 4. The bowlers then joined the party to restrict the visitors to 189 for 9 despite a belligerent 27-ball 61 from Nicholas Pooran and a 33-ball 58 not out by Arshad Khan.

After the defeat in the penultimate game of the championship, LSG is practically out of the play-off race. DC’s victory paved the way for Rajasthan Royals to qualify for the play-offs.

Delhi have moved up to 14 points, as have Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and their playoff chances depend on a run of other results.

Chasing 209, LSG were unable to recover from a nightmare start as Ishant (3/34), who replaced Porel as an impact substitute, removed both openers KL Rahul (5), Quinton de Kock (12) and Deepak Hooda (0) in your opening spell.

Marcus Stoinis (5) was then fooled by Axar while Stubbs had Ayush Badoni (6) caught at the boundary line as LSG lost half their team for 71 in the 8th over.

Pooran hit six fours and four sixes to keep the run rate high as LSG reached 100 in 11th over. But once he was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar with Axar producing a special effort, Arshad Khan took center stage hitting five sixes and three fours to keep them in the chase.

Arshad added 33 runs each with Krunal Pandya (18) and Yudhvir Singh (14) to reduce the equation to 29 off the last 12 balls. But Mukesh and Rasikh Salam bowled superbly to limit them in the end.

Earlier, DC’s most dangerous batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk was trapped at long-on but Porel took responsibility, smashing six boundaries and four sixes during his stay. He sliced ​​the third ball of his innings over third man Mohsin before hitting three fours and a six off Arshad Khan.

Porel got past the offside, cut and pulled anything short to race to his second fifty of this IPL off 21 balls.

Hope also went ahead with two fours and a six from Yudhvir Singh as DC crossed the 50 mark in an instant.

Naveen was met with a six by Porel, who sent him to the second tier with another pull to take DC to 73 for one in powerplay.

Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (1/26) broke the partnership after having the West Indian caught while KL Rahul held the catch in his second attempt.

Naveen then removed Porel, who was caught by Pooran at the boundary rope, leaving DC at 111 for 3 in 12th over.

With Bishnoi keeping things tight, the runs slowed down but Pant hit two fours as Krunal Pandya returned to the attack. Mohsin, however, gave away just four in his third over as DC reached 136 for 3 in 15 overs.

Stubbs then exploded with a six and two fours from Arshad in a run of 18, but Pant flicked it to Hooda as he went for the maximum off Naveen.

Stubbs hit Mohsin for a maximum before hitting two more sixes off Naveen to reach his fifty in 22 balls. He added 50 off 22 balls with Axar Patel (14), with 72 off the last five overs. PTI ATK ATK BS BS