Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered a close win by just 1-run over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the 22nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Tuesday. Shimron Hetmyer’s late blitz (53 off 25 balls) was not enough as RCB defended 171 by the barest of margins to return to the top of the IPL points table. Earlier in the game, AB de Villiers was at his ferocious best which took RCB took a defendable total of 171/5 in their quota of 20 overs.
DC skipper, Rishabh Pant played an uncharacteristic knock of 48-ball 58. Despite hitting two boundaries in the last two deliveries, Delhi lost the game by just 1 run with Mohammed Siraj coming up with a fine over at the end. Needing 14 runs in the final over, Pant and Hetmyer failed to take the team over the line. With the win, RCB moved right back to the top of the IPL 2021 points table with 10 points from 6 matches.
WATCH – Stump Mic Picks Rishabh Pant’s Comment After Maxwell’s Huge Six
In the end, the 23-run last over bowled by Marcus Stoinis in the RCB innings shifted the momentum in RCB’s favor as AB de Villiers went berserk. Pant got his calculations wrong as he finished off the Kagiso Rabada quota as early as the 18th over. De Villiers played a match-winning knock of 75 not out in just 43 balls. Earlier, RCB didn’t make the same mistake as that of Punjab Kings (PBKS) while batting first at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Despite losing Virat Kohli (12) and Devdutt Padikkal (17) early, RCB manaed to build strong partnerships. Theor decision to include an extra batsman in Rajat Patidar paid off as the young batsman hit a well-paced 31. Glenn Maxwell tonked a couple of sixes and increase some momentum in the middle-overs for the team before being dismissed by Amit Mishra.
WATCH – Sandstorm followed ABD-storm in Ahmedabad, Twitter reacts
AB de Villiers then joined young Patidar who initially took the aggressor’s role in their partnership. They managed to make a partnership of 54 runs in just 38 balls, helping set a good platform for a late flourish. Washington Sundar, who was sent in ahead of Daniel Sams and Kyle Jamieson, failed to deliver but AB de Villiers made sure Bangalore finished on a high. During the chase, Harshal Patel was the pick of the bowlers as he got the crucial wickets of Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis.
Here is how Twitterati reacted to the incident:
This is just a Shimron Hetmyer appreciation tweet 💙#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 #DCvRCB
— Delhi Capitals (Stay Home. Wear Double Masks😷) (@DelhiCapitals) April 27, 2021
The only constant in every IPL is @ABdeVilliers17 . ABD bus naam hi kaafi hai. #DCvRCB #RCBvsDC
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) April 27, 2021
Grave error in calculation…Mishra not finishing his quota in a game he dismissed Maxwell. Stoinis bowling his first over in the 20th. First it was ABDV and now, the sand-storm. Which means less or no dew. #DelhiCapitals need to climb a mountain tonight. #IPL2021 #DCvRCB
— Wear a Mask. Stay Safe, India (@cricketaakash) April 27, 2021
AB is such a treat #VIVOIPL #DCvRCB You just can’t look away for even a second
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) April 27, 2021
I think that was a major mistake by @RishabhPant17 to not finish @MishiAmit earlier in the innings! @ABdeVilliers17 just proved once again mistakes like that will cost you in a big way! Brilliant knock by 360 yet again! #DCvRCB
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) April 27, 2021
ABD makes it look too easy
— Shai Hope (@shaidhope) April 27, 2021
Legend @ABdeVilliers17 my idol 👌👌 https://t.co/iPcsmFinGv
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) April 27, 2021
What a nail biting game it was. Well done @RCBTweets congratulations on winning this game and becoming number one on the table. #RCBvDC #IPL2021 #EeSalaCupNamde @StarSportsKan
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) April 27, 2021
Siraj doesn't need purple cap, his improvement is worth donning India cap for long.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) April 27, 2021
Most matches won by 1 Run in IPL
3 MI
3 RCB— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) April 27, 2021
Where most of the Delhi Capitals' batsmen struggled, this man came into action and kept DC in the game and scored a marvelous fifty. Was absolutely heartbroken when the team lost, that too just by 1 run.
Chin up, Shimron. You played amazingly. pic.twitter.com/pgFmmFgc12
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 27, 2021
Tough luck, Hetmyer. Came when #DelhiCapitals was down and out but he give the hope but couldn't finish the match still one of the best knock in pressure situation – 53* runs from just 25 balls including 2 fours and 4 sixes. Keep going, champion. pic.twitter.com/f1LQ28CJJI
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 27, 2021
