Mukesh Kumar bowled a superb last over in Hyderabad as Delhi Capitals defeated the Sunrisers by seven runs on Monday.
Chasing 145, the Sunrisers needed 13 off the final over but could manage only five. With nine needed off the last two balls, Washington Sundar and Marco Jansen faltered.
None of the Sunrisers’ top-order batters could get going barring Mayank Agarwal (49).
Heinrich Klaasen (31) and Sundar (24 not out) provided some momentum towards the end but Mukesh produced a disciplined last over which dashed the home team’s hopes.
Jubilant Delhi Capitals players after winning Monday’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 runs. PTI picture
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bowled a tidy spell in the middle overs to peg back the Sunrisers.
Earlier, the Capitals too produced a poor display with the bat and were restricted to 144 for 9. With captain David Warner falling for just 21, it was left to the middle order to pull them out of the woods. None of the batters managed to put up a good show, barring Manish Pandey (34) and Axar Patel (34).
Phil Salt was sent to open but fell first ball and that sent the Capitals on the back foot. The acceleration never really happened.
It was certainly not a memorable return to Hyderabad for Warner, who perished for a 20-ball 21, caught at deep square leg by Harry Brook on the second ball while trying to sweep.
Having returned wicketless from six matches this season, Washington Sundar (3/28) grabbed three wickets in five balls to leave the Capitals reeling at 62/5 inside eight overs after Warner opted to bat. Bhuvneshwar (2/11) then came up with a tidy spell as Delhi struggled to get going.
Pandey and Axar had given Capitals to stage a semblance of a fight after stitching together 69 runs, pushing the score to 128/5 with three overs to go. Axar then launched into Mayank Markande taking 15 runs in the 17th over. But Sunrisers managed to pull things back, picking up four wickets in the last three overs.
