IPL 2021, Qualifier 2: DC vs KKR, Stats Review: New record for Avesh Khan, Shikhar Dhawan’s feat and other stats

Spare a thought for Delhi Capitals! Kolkata Knight Riders are through to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final thanks to that splendid six from Rahul Tripathi. The Qualifier 2 clash was all about twist and turns as KKR and DC fought till the very last over. Although Delhi’s effort was commendable, the Men in Purple and Gold eventually emerged victorious and will now play Chennai Super Kings in the high-voltage final clash.

Coming to Qualifier 2, KKR won the all-important toss and unsurprisingly opted to bowl first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The decision proved to be spot on as Delhi batters struggled to score freely throughout their innings. However, crucial knocks from Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer took DC to a fighting total of 135/5.

In reply, KKR got off to a flying start with Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer added 96 runs for the first wicket. The remaining chase was expected to be a cakewalk for KKR. However, that didn’t happen as Delhi bowlers bounced back and how. The likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan, and Dinesh Karthik bagged ducks as the momentum shifted drastically.

The equation eventually came down to KKR needing six runs for the final two balls. While DC were looking optimistic, Rahul Tripathi ruined their party, smashing Ravichandran Ashwin for a straight six down the ground. This way KKR crossed the line on the penultimate ball of the match.

Meanwhile, here are the important stats and numbers from the DC vs KKR Qualifier 2 clash in IPL 2021:

3 – Kolkata Knight Riders qualify for the final for the third time in IPL.

200 – Shikhar Dhawan completed 200 sixes in T20 cricket.

2 – Avesh Khan has taken 24 wickets in IPL 2021, second-most by an uncapped bowler in a season. While he went past Yuzvendra Chahal (23) to get the landmark, Harshal Patel (32) tops the list.

2 – Kagiso Rabada dismissed two batters in this game after going wicketless in his last four outings.

3 – Venkatesh Iyer smashed his third half-century of the season.

744 – Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw added 744 runs in partnership in 2021, most for any pair. The Delhi Capitals duo went past Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s tally of 736 runs.

3 – Delhi Capitals recorded their third-lowest total in powerplay this season, 38/1.

10 – Kagiso Rabada became the 10th player to feature in 50 IPL matches for the Delhi-based side.

2 – This is the second instance of Ravichandran Ashwin taking less than 10 wickets in an IPL season. In the inaugural edition, Ashwin took two wickets but in as many matches.

2 – Shikhar Dhawan’s tally of 587 runs this year is the second-most for him in an IPL season. In 2020, he slammed 618 runs.