Bowlers run riot at Motera as Capitals pulverise Titans by six wickets

Delhi Capitals notched up a sixwicket win over Gujarat Titans in a lowscoring game after Rishabh Pants bowlers stood up for their ilk and restored a modicum of sanity and equilibrium in IPL 2024 on WednesdayOpting to field first the Capitals rolled over Gujarat Titans for 89 in 173 overs the bowlers finally having a say after being blasted all over the park in the last few matches of the lucrative leagueMukesh Kumar was the most successful bowler for DC with figures of 314 while there were two wickets apiece for Ishant Sharma 28 and Tristan Stubbs 211As far as GT batting is concerned only Rashid Khan put up a semblance of resistance with a 24ball 31Chasing 90 DC completed the formality in just 85 overs to register their third win and give their run rate a boostWhat also stood out on the day was Pants leadership and his work behind the stumps The flamboyant keeperbatter was sharp and agile while wearing the big gloves and performed a quick stumping besides pulling off an incredible catch diving full stretchWith the T20 World Cup around the corner Pants dexterity behind the stumps is a very good sign for Indian cricketPant 16 off 11 balls was also in the middle when the winning runs were hitAlso ReadIndias T20 World Cup squad DubeRinkuGill vs Jaiswal shootoutInvited to bat first skipper Shubman Gill 8 timed to perfection an overpitched Khaleel Ahmed delivery for GTs first scoring shot of the inningsIshant Sharma served up a freebie to Gill and the ball got the treatment it deserved as the opener found the gap on the offsideIshant the seasoned campaigner struck in the very next ball though with Gill chipping a fullerlength ball straight to Prithvi Shaw at cover on a pitch that is being used for the first time this season and has been described as a 100 percent blacksoil surfaceSai Sudharsan 12 walked in early and got into the groove with backtoback fours including an exquisite boundary through extra coverDC captain Rishabh Pant then introduced Mukesh Kumar in place of Ishant and the bowler responded in the fifth ball of his first over as Wriddhiman Saha 2 got a thick inside edge and the middle and off stumps were disturbedPlaying the match in place of the injured David Warner Sumit Kumar then produced a brilliant piece of fielding and ran out Sudharsan with a direct throw at the nonstrikers end a diving effort from the batter failing to save him as the ball hit the base of the stumpsThe Capitals were on song and their skipper led by example as he dived to pull off an excellent catch off Ishant to send back the dangerous David Miller 2 leaving the home team reeling at 304 in five oversIshant opened up Miller with one that angled into the lefthander but the umpires didnt seem interested despite a loud appealHowever Pant decided to review after being persuaded by Ishant and FraserMcGurk at slip It was the right call as UltraEdge showed Miller got a clear edgeMore trouble awaited the Titans as Pant pulled off a fine stumping off Tristan Stubbs to bring about Abhinav Manohars downfall forcing the home team to send super sub Shahrukh Khan into the middleThe move did not work as Shahrukh was dismissed in the very next ball after Pant somehow managed another stumping despite not gathering the ball cleanlyThen leftarm spinner Axar Patel rapped Rahul Tewatia on the pads and the umpire raised his finger after a confident appeal by the bowler Tewatia reviewed but the decision stayed as GT lost their seventh wicket with just 66 runs on the board in the 12th overKhaleel came back to dismiss Mohit Sharma before Rashid Khan hoicked Kuldeep over longoff for the innings first and only sixMukesh Kumar however ended Rashids resistance after the allrounder went for an upper cut off a short ball outside offWith agency inputs