It was a night of growing frustration for Sandeep Sharma during the Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite bowling with impressive control for most of his spell, the right-arm pacer was let down at a crucial moment by sloppy fielding, and that too by Maheesh Theekshana.
Sandeep’s first three overs were tidy, yielding just 14 runs as he maintained a tight line and length. With Delhi Capitals building momentum, skipper Sanju Samson turned to his experienced pacer to bowl the final over of the innings. At the crease were Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma, ready to launch the finishing assault.
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However, the over didn’t begin well. Sandeep started with a wide, followed by a dot, and then lost control with three consecutive wides. He then bowled a no-ball for overstepping, handing Stubbs a free hit. The South African made full use of it, striking the first boundary off Sandeep’s bowling. He followed it up with a six over long-on, and just like that, Sandeep’s economical figures began to unravel.
Despite two decent deliveries that resulted in singles, the over’s final ball offered a chance at redemption. Stubbs mistimed a slower short ball outside off and spooned it towards point. But Theekshana, stationed perfectly, spilled what should’ve been a routine catch.
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That drop proved to be the tipping point. A visibly frustrated Sandeep kicked the ball in disappointment and stormed away, unable to hide his emotions. His final over cost 19 runs, leaving him wicketless with figures of 4-0-33-0.
— crictalk (@crictalk7) April 16, 2025
The costly misfield was emblematic of a night that could’ve gone very differently for Sandeep Sharma. Meanwhile, powered by late fireworks, Delhi Capitals posted a strong total of 188/5—leaving Rajasthan Royals with a challenging chase ahead.
