Cricholic
Mitchell Starc was the standout performer as Delhi Capitals registered a commanding seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Vizag. His maiden T20 five-wicket haul dismantled SRH, restricting them to 163 before DC’s top order made light work of the chase, sealing the win with four overs to spare.
Key Turning Point: Mitchell Starc’s PowerPlay Destruction
SRH suffered a massive setback during the PowerPlay, losing four wickets early on. Although they scored six more runs than DC in this phase, the damage done at the top proved too costly, leading to an underwhelming total.
PowerPlay Comparison:
| Parameters | SRH | DC |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/4 | 52/0 |
| Run-rate | 9.67 | 8.67 |
| 4s/6s | 7/1 | 4/3 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Innings
PowerPlay: Mitchell Starc Runs Riot with Early Strikes
Score: 58/4 [RR: 9.67, 4s/6s: 7/1]
Opting to bat first, SRH captain Pat Cummins saw his top order dismantled by Mitchell Starc. A mix-up led to Abhishek Sharma’s run-out before Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan, Nitish Reddy, and Travis Head by the fifth over. The Australian pacer has now scalped eight wickets in 11 PowerPlay overs against SRH since IPL 2024. Aniket Verma received a lifeline when Abishek Porel dropped his catch, giving SRH a glimmer of hope.
Middle Overs: Aniket’s Heroics Keep SRH Afloat
Score: 82/3 [RR: 9.11, 4s/6s: 4/6]
Aniket Verma counterattacked by launching a flurry of sixes against DC’s spinners. He took on Vipraj Nigam and Axar Patel, also punishing Mohit Sharma. Heinrich Klaasen supported him well, smashing a straight six off Kuldeep Yadav. The duo steered SRH past 100 at the halfway mark before DC struck back. Vipraj’s exceptional catch dismissed Klaasen, and Axar and Kuldeep applied pressure with tight overs. Aniket, however, reached his maiden IPL fifty and took Axar apart in the 15th over.
Death Overs: Mitchell Starc Completes Five-Wicket Haul
Score: 23/3 [RR: 6.27, 4s/6s: 1/1]
Aniket fell for 74 off 41 balls in the 16th over while attempting another big hit. Mitchell Starc returned in the 19th over, dismissing Harshal Patel and Wiaan Mulder to wrap up the innings at 163. The Aussie speedster ended with figures of 5-35, his best in T20s.
Delhi Capitals’ Chase
PowerPlay: Openers Provide a Steady Start
Score: 52/0 [RR: 8.67, 4s/6s: 4/3]
Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk got DC off to a solid start, taking on SRH’s bowlers. Harshal Patel delivered a tidy first over, but Cummins conceded 13 runs in his first. Mohammad Shami began well but lost his rhythm, allowing DC to dictate the chase early on.
Middle Overs: Zeeshan Strikes, But DC in Control
Score: 98/3 [RR: 10.88, 4s/6s: 9/4]
Zeeshan Ansari took three wickets, but it did little to halt DC’s momentum. Du Plessis smashed a 26-ball half-century, and McGurk’s aggressive intent kept the chase on track. KL Rahul made his DC debut in style, striking Shami for two fours and a six in the 11th over. Abishek Porel seamlessly joined the charge, punishing Ansari for a four and a six in the 14th over. By the 15th over, DC reached 150/3, needing just 13 more to win.
Death Overs: DC Seal the Win in Quick Time
Score: 16/0 [RR: 16.00, 4s/6s: 2/1]
Porel finished the job in the 16th over by taking on Wiaan Mulder, completing a dominant win for DC.
Match Summary:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 163 in 18.4 overs (Aniket Verma 74, Heinrich Klaasen 32; Mitchell Starc 5-35, Kuldeep Yadav 3-22)
Delhi Capitals: 166/3 in 16 overs (Faf du Plessis 50, Jake Fraser-McGurk 38, Abishek Porel 34*; Zeeshan Ansari 3-42)
Result: DC won by 7 wickets
What’s Next?
Sunrisers Hyderabad will travel to Kolkata to face KKR on April 3, while Delhi Capitals enjoy a longer break before clashing with CSK in Chennai on April 5.
