Axar, Stubbs & Porel Light Up Kotla as Delhi Capitals Claw Back to 188 — But Is It Enough?
You ever watch a cricket innings and feel like you're on a rollercoaster? Not one of those fancy smooth ones at an amusement park. I’m talking about the old-school, creaky ones—moments of thrill, followed by sheer panic, and then bam!—a surprise twist at the end.
That’s exactly what Delhi Capitals gave us at the Arun Jaitley Stadium last night.
When Porel Turned Into a Powerplay Predator
Picture this: It’s just the second over of the game, Tushar Deshpande has the ball, and Abishek Porel walks out like he's on a mission from the cricket gods. Before anyone could say “Hey, where’s Warner?”, he smashed 23 runs off that over. I mean, the guy exploded.
I’ve seen Porel play before, but this was different. He wasn’t just timing the ball—he was bullying it.
And just as the crowd was getting comfy in their seats thinking this would be a 220-run night…
A Mini Meltdown – Thanks, Archer
Enter Jofra Archer. Cold, calm, deadly.
First, he tempts Jake Fraser-McGurk into a loose shot—caught. Then, Karun Nair, fresh from his glorious 89 on debut, walks into a storm. Three deliveries. Two bouncers. One run-out. Gone for a duck. Ouch.
The momentum? Gone. Just like that.
KL Rahul’s Steady Slog
KL Rahul tried to patch things up. But honestly, the pitch wasn’t making things easy. It was slow, two-paced, and every time he tried to force the issue, it felt like the ball was playing mind games with him.
He scratched his way to 38 off 32. Respectable, but not game-changing.
It was starting to feel like Delhi would end up 160-ish. And in this IPL? That’s like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight.
Enter Axar Patel & Tristan Stubbs: The Silent Assassins
Then came that phase. You know, the death overs—the make-or-break territory.
Axar Patel doesn’t talk much. But boy, does he hit. Especially when it's spin bowling. Hasaranga bowled, Axar countered like he had a cheat code. 34 runs off 14 balls. Just like that, the Kotla came alive.
Right beside him? Tristan Stubbs. Calm, composed, and silently dangerous. He got a life at 12—Riyan Parag dropping him off Hasaranga—and didn’t look back. He made the Royals pay.
Stubbs finished with 34* off 18, including some clean hits that made you go, “Where has this guy been hiding?”
That 19-Run Final Over (And the No-Ball Circus)
Here’s the thing about Sandeep Sharma—he’s usually money at the death. Last night? Not quite.
He came in with figures of 3-0-14-0. Left the ground shaking his head after a chaotic 11-ball final over that included:
- 4 wides
- 1 no-ball
- 19 runs
- A dropped sitter by Maheesh Theekshana
And just like that, Delhi Capitals stole momentum and finished with 188 for 5.
Is 188 Enough?
Now, here’s the juicy bit.
This was the first sub-200 score by a team batting first in the last nine T20 innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Read that again.
188 might look average on paper, but considering the pitch played a little two-faced and the dew stayed away, this could very well be a winning total—if DC bowl smart.
The DC Innings
- Abishek Porel is no longer a future star—he’s the star right now.
- Axar Patel continues to be Delhi’s Mr. Dependable in pressure situations.
- Stubbs? If this is what a “finisher” looks like, DC may have just found theirs.
- Sandeep’s last over could haunt the Royals. Period.
What Fans Are Asking
Q: Why didn’t DC reach 200 despite a great finish?
A: Early wickets and a sluggish middle phase slowed them down. Only Axar and Stubbs helped them recover late.
Q: Who was the most impactful player for DC?
A: It’s a close one between Axar and Porel. But given the match situation, Axar’s acceleration stands out.
Q: Was Sandeep Sharma’s final over a turning point?
A: Absolutely. That one over added at least 10–12 runs more than expected.
