DPL T20: West Delhi Lions Edge South Delhi Superstarz By Four Runs Via DLS Method

New Delhi: West Delhi Lions secured a narrow four-run victory over South Delhi Superstarz via the DLS method in the rain-affected 21st match of the Adani Delhi Premier League T20 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.

Krish Yadav’s remarkable 106 off 68 guided West Delhi Lions to a total of 178/5 in 20 overs. In reply, South Delhi Superstarz got off to a blistering start but were restricted to 123/5 in 15 overs, falling four runs short according to the DLS method as play could not resume within the cutoff time due to rain.

South Delhi Superstarz came out all guns blazing to chase the target of 179. Priyansh Arya smashed 16 runs in the opening over, but his partner, Saurabh Deswal, was sent packing by Saksham Gahlot for a golden duck in the second over. Ayush Badoni then hammered four sixes in the same over, taking the team’s total to 40/2 after just two overs.

Arya was the next to fall in the following over by Rohit Yadav after scoring 25 off 9 balls. Badoni, on the other hand, smashed his fifth maximum of the innings but was dismissed in the fourth over after scoring 30 off 7 balls. South Delhi Superstarz managed to score 70 runs in the powerplay with three wickets down, leaving them needing 109 off 84 balls.

Tejasvi Dahiya (9 off 9) and Dhruv Singh (15 off 28) lost their wickets in quick succession, with South Delhi Superstarz reduced to 98/5 after 11 overs.

Sumit Mathur and Vision Panchal then steadied the run chase with cautious approach as they took the team’s total to 123/5 until rain halted play after 15 overs, with South Delhi Superstarz just four runs behind as per the DLS method.

Earlier, West Delhi Lions elected to bat first and openers Ankit Kumar and Krish Yadav got the team off to a flying start as they amassed 61 runs in the powerplay. Kumar, who played a supporting role to Yadav, was dismissed for 28 off 21 by Digvesh Rathi in the ninth over.

Meanwhile, Yadav brought up his fifty in 41 balls during the 12th over, helping the team cross the 100-run mark in the same over. By the end of the 14th over, the West Delhi Lions were in a comfortable position at 120/1, with nine wickets in hand, poised for a big total.

However, the South Delhi Superstarz managed to contain the West Delhi Lions in the following overs. Skipper Hrithik Shokeen was dismissed in the 16th over after scoring 16 off 18, leaving the West Delhi Lions at 141/2, while Yadav reached his century in 62 balls in the 18th over.

South Delhi Superstarz then bowled tightly in the last two overs, with Kuldip Yadav dismissing Krish Yadav for 106 off 68 while Raghav Singh took the wickets of Ekanksh Dobal (7 off 8) and Anmol Sharma (2 off 2) in the final over, restricting the West Delhi Lions to 178/5 in 20 overs.