Cricket

Match 64 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 promises an enthralling clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday. Both teams are vying for a crucial victory to bolster their playoff aspirations.DC, currently sixth in the standings with 12 points from 13 matches, will be eager to bounce back from their recent defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Axar Patel, with 98 fantasy points, was the standout performer for DC in that match.LSG, on the other hand, are seventh in the table with 12 points from 12 matches. They suffered a setback in their last outing against SunRisers Hyderabad, despite Ayush Badoni's impressive 82 fantasy points.Players to Watch Out For:DC:* Rishabh Pant: The wicket-keeper and left-handed batter has been a reliable force for DC, scoring 413 runs in 12 matches.* Axar Patel: The all-rounder has contributed with both bat and ball, scoring 221 runs and taking 10 wickets.* Kuldeep Yadav: The slow left-arm chinaman bowler has been a key wicket-taker for DC, claiming 15 wickets in 10 matches.LSG:* KL Rahul: The skipper and right-handed batter has been consistent, scoring 460 runs in 12 matches.* Marcus Stoinis: The all-rounder provides stability with his batting and bowling, scoring 355 runs and taking four wickets.* Yash Thakur: The right-arm medium-fast bowler is LSG's leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets in 10 matches.With these top performers on the field, the DC vs LSG clash promises to be a thrilling contest. Both teams will be determined to secure a victory that could significantly impact their playoff chances.

The Delhi Capitals' playoff hopes suffered a major setback as they succumbed to a 47-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial encounter. The match was marred by the absence of regular skipper Rishabh Pant, who was suspended for one match due to a slow over-rate offense.In Pant's absence, Axar Patel took over the captaincy reins, but the team struggled to find its rhythm. RCB posted a competitive total of 189/5, thanks to a blistering 66 from Rajat Patidar and a crucial 58 from Glenn Maxwell.DC's chase got off to a disastrous start as they lost four wickets in the powerplay. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs were both run out in unfortunate circumstances, further compounding the team's woes.Despite a valiant effort from Mitchell Marsh (55), DC never truly recovered from their early setbacks. They were eventually bowled out for 142, handing RCB a comfortable victory.The defeat leaves DC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They are currently fifth in the standings with 12 points, but their net run rate of -0.482 is significantly lower than RCB's 0.387.Axar Patel, who stood in as captain for the match, expressed his disappointment with the team's performance. "Dropped catches hurt us. We could have restricted them to 150. Also when you lose four wickets in powerplay, you are always chasing the game," he said.Pant, who has been a key figure for DC this season, did not directly address his suspension but shared a cryptic post on Instagram. "The only thing we have power over in the universe is our own thoughts. Can't say much," he wrote.With just one match remaining in the league stage, DC's chances of reaching the playoffs appear slim. However, they will be hoping for a miracle and will need to win their final game against Mumbai Indians while also relying on other results going their way.

Delhi Capitals Rue Lack of Depth in Batting After Defeat to Royal Challengers BengaluruIn the wake of Delhi Capitals' disappointing loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League 2024, assistant coach Pravin Amre has highlighted the team's lack of depth in batting, particularly the absence of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant.Amre acknowledged that Pant's absence due to suspension has significantly impacted the team's batting lineup. "We missed him because of the rule. It affected our batting line up and sure tomorrow, he will be there, and we will finish well," Amre said.The 55-year-old coach also expressed surprise at the high-scoring nature of the tournament, with teams amassing 500 runs in a single T20 match. "I feel IPL's governing body will look into it. It is also important to know that for the crowd it was surprising to see teams scoring 500 runs in a T20 match. That's happened in IPL. So, the committee will decide what is better for IPL," Amre added.In the match against RCB, Delhi found themselves in trouble at 30/4 before a 56-run partnership between Shai Hope and stand-in captain Axar Patel brought them back into the game. However, RCB's bowlers, led by Yash Dayal and Lockie Ferguson, restricted DC to 140 runs in 19.1 overs, securing a 47-run victory.Amre believes that Pant's return in the next match will provide a much-needed boost to the team's batting. "The way he is playing this year he is the highest run gutter during the year but rules are rules. We missed him because of the rule. It affected our batting line up and sure tomorrow, he will be there, and we will finish well," Amre said.

RCB vs DC Live Score: RCB's Winning Streak Faces a Tough Test Against Pant-less Delhi CapitalsRoyal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been on a roll lately, winning four consecutive matches to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, their next challenge comes in the form of Delhi Capitals (DC), who will be without their suspended skipper Rishabh Pant.Pant's absence is a significant blow to DC, as he is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the IPL. However, RCB cannot afford to become complacent, as DC still boasts a formidable lineup.RCB's recent victories have come against weaker opponents, such as Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. DC, on the other hand, is a much tougher test. They have a well-balanced team with experienced players like David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, and Axar Patel.RCB's batting has been in good form, with Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell all contributing. However, their bowling has been a concern, with Harshal Patel and Josh Hazlewood struggling for consistency.DC's bowling attack is led by the experienced Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. They also have a strong spin department, with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.The match between RCB and DC is expected to be a close contest. RCB will be looking to continue their winning streak, while DC will be determined to bounce back from their recent losses.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has expressed confidence in Axar Patel's ability to lead the team in the absence of suspended captain Rishabh Pant. Pant was banned for one match after an altercation with Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav during their previous encounter.Ponting praised Patel's experience and understanding of the game, saying, "He has been vice-captain for the last couple of seasons and he is very sensible and understands the game really well."The coach also acknowledged the challenge of replacing Pant, who has been Delhi's best batter this season. However, he believes the team has the depth to overcome his absence."Rishabh has been one of the best players this IPL and not having him is a loss. But it is also a great opportunity for others," Ponting said.David Warner, who has missed the last four matches due to injury, is expected to be available for selection. Ponting expressed optimism about his return, saying, "David Warner has trained really strongly. We hope he is available for selection."The Delhi Capitals will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 11 in Bengaluru. The match will be a crucial test for Patel's leadership and the team's ability to adapt without Pant.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on Abishek Porel, the left-handed batter who has impressed in multiple roles during IPL 2024. Ponting has indicated that Porel will don the keeping gloves against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday in the absence of the suspended Rishabh Pant.Porel, signed by Capitals in 2023 as a replacement for Pant, has scored 267 runs in 10 innings this season at a strike rate of 157.98. He began the campaign batting at No. 9 against Punjab Kings, coming in as an Impact Player and smacking an unbeaten 31 off just 10 balls. Since then, he has been promoted to a top-four role, and in DC's last game against Rajasthan Royals, he opened the batting and put on 60 in just 4.2 overs with Jake Fraser-McGurk. Porel went on to score 65 off 36, his first IPL half-century, studded with seven fours and three sixes."I've seen extreme growth in Abishek Porel in this IPL," Ponting said in Bengaluru ahead of the match against RCB. "He's a very special talent. He's starting to work out what IPL cricket is all about. He's had a couple of different roles as well. He's made [31] off 10 balls as a No. 9 batsman, and now we see him opening the batting and he's got better and better every game.""I've got huge raps on him. I think he's a very, very good young player, obviously we'll probably get to see him with the keeping gloves on tomorrow as well, with Rishabh not being there. And then we'll work out, when we finalise our team, with the batting order and stuff, but I'll be surprised if he's not at the top of the order again, because he has played really well, and he's someone that I think has got a really bright future."Ponting also hailed Jake Fraser-McGurk, the swashbuckling 22-year-old batter who has taken this IPL by storm. Fraser-McGurk, picked by DC as a replacement player after Lungi Ngidi was ruled out, has reset the T20 batting template in the powerplay, just like Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have while batting for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season. Fraser-McGurk has scored his 309 runs while striking at 235.87 and averaging 44.14, with the help of four half-centuries."Some of the things he's done - I think he's made three 20-ball fifties in this tournament, so he along with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have been the stand-out powerplay batsmen in this entire tournament," Ponting said. "He's focused now, like all of us, he's making sure that we're ready to go tomorrow. For us, it's not about what happened yesterday, it's about what we can do today to get better, and then make sure that we're ready to play our best game of cricket tomorrow."

Delhi Capitals Aim to Maintain Momentum Against Royal Challengers BengaluruWith the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs looming, Delhi Capitals will face a crucial test against the in-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their penultimate league stage match on Sunday. The Capitals, who secured a vital victory in their previous outing, will be determined to keep their momentum going and secure a top-four finish.However, Delhi will be without their skipper Rishabh Pant, who has been suspended for slow over rate. In Pant's absence, Axar Patel will lead the team, bringing his experience and leadership qualities to the fore.Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting expressed confidence in Patel's ability to lead the team. "He's been Vice-Captain at this franchise for the last couple of seasons. He's a very experienced IPL player, an experienced international player, a sensible guy, understands the game really well," Ponting said.Ponting acknowledged the challenge posed by RCB, who have won their last four matches. However, he emphasized the Capitals' impressive form in recent games. "We've won five of our last seven, and we've made some huge scores along the way. There are no excuses from us tomorrow, regardless of Pant not being in the lineup," he said.Regarding team selection, Ponting provided an update on David Warner's fitness. "David Warner missed the last game, he got that nasty knock on his hand about a month ago now and hasn't played a game since. He trained really strongly yesterday, he'll be out hitting balls in the middle now, so he'll be doing some more batting today. Hopefully, he's available for selection for tomorrow," Ponting said.The Delhi Capitals will be eager to put in a strong performance against RCB and secure a crucial victory that could boost their chances of reaching the playoffs. The match promises to be an exciting contest between two evenly matched teams.

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant has been suspended for one match and fined Rs 30 lakh for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. The incident occurred during Match 56 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Rajasthan Royals, where Delhi Capitals maintained a slow over-rate.This is the third offense of the season for Delhi Capitals under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offenses. As a result, Pant has been suspended for one match and fined a hefty sum. The rest of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 12 Lac or 50 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.Earlier in the season, Pant was fined Rs 24 lakh for a second over-rate offense in Match 16 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Before that, Delhi Capitals maintained a slow over rate in a match against Chennai Super Kings, resulting in a Rs 12 lakh fine for Pant.The Delhi Capitals filed an appeal challenging the ruling of the Match Referee, but the appeal was referred to the BCCI Ombudsman for review. The Ombudsman conducted a virtual hearing and affirmed that the decision of the Match Referee remains final and binding.Pant's suspension is a significant blow to Delhi Capitals, who are currently fifth in the IPL table with 12 points from as many games. They will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next match on Sunday without their captain.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is reaching its climax, with every match becoming crucial in the race for the playoffs. One such pivotal clash is set to take place on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face the Delhi Capitals (DC).For RR, a victory would secure their spot in the playoffs, while DC will be desperate to keep their campaign alive. Adding to the intrigue is the subplot of the battle between the two captains, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, who are both vying for the No. 1 wicketkeeper-batsman spot in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Both Pant and Samson have led their teams with aplomb. RR, under Samson's astute captaincy, has minimal weaknesses and sits second in the points table with four games remaining. Pant, on the other hand, has guided DC through a challenging season marked by injuries to key players.Statistically, there is little to separate the two captains. Samson has scored 385 runs at an average of 64.16 and a strike rate of 159.09, while Pant has amassed 398 runs at an average of 44.22 and a phenomenal strike rate of 158.56.The match will provide a glimpse into who has the upper hand heading into the World Cup. Pant has been in scintillating form, batting with a lionhearted spirit. Samson, too, has been impressive, leading RR with a calm and composed demeanor.In terms of team news, DC will welcome back Ishant Sharma, who has been declared fit. However, David Warner's availability remains uncertain. RR, on the other hand, will be looking to maintain their momentum and secure their playoff berth.