Twitter Reactions: David Miller, Chris Morris bring Rajasthan Royals back from the dead to clinch a tense thriller at Wankhede

You know that strange things can happen in cricket when a belter suddenly goofs up things. The average score at Wankhede in the previous two games was a whopping 204. A venue where they fell just four short in a 222-chase a couple of days ago, Rajasthan Royals found themselves in a soup as did Delhi Capitals after they lost the toss.

Being inserted by Sanju Samson to bat, the Capitals looked all but lost at 36/3 by the end of the powerplay as Jayadev Undakat proved his inclusion correct minutes after the proceeding initiated. He foxed Prithvi Shaw, so destructive in the previous encounter, with a slower delivery. Looking to work the ball across the line, Shaw could only edge it to midwicket.

The left-arm quick returned to claim the other hero of DC’s night against CSK courtesy of a Sanju Samson blinder behind the wickets. In a desperate search of momentum, Shikhar Dhawan shuffled across to play a length ball behind and connected well-enough to send it towards the fine leg fence, only for Samson to put a Superman dive – not the only one in the game – to send him back. Unadkat struck for the third time inside the powerplay as Ajinkya Rahane gave him a simple return catch.

Skipper Pant stands tall amidst a tumble 

Watching his team fall like a pack of cards, Pant took the onus upon himself as he struck a slew of eye-catching strokes on the off-side after settling in. Even as he attempted to halt the fall, he found little support from others. Making full use of the slow-ball ploy, Mustafizur Rahman delivered a cutter that resulted in Marcus Stoinis’ undoing.

Upping the ante, Pant took on Rahul Tewatia, smashing four boundaries to amass 20 from the 11th over. Things had only started to settle with Lalit Yadav and Pant adding 51 for the fifth wicket, with the latter accomplishing his half-century from 30 balls, although Riyan Parag’s direct hit caught him short of his ground.

A brief stand of 28 between Chris Woakes and Tom Curran pushed the Capitals’ momentum slightly up after Yadav holed out to mid-on off Chris Morris. Curran looked threatening, however, Rahman cleaned him up as Delhi finished 147/8.

Woakes rattles Rajasthan

In response, Rajasthan had a slipup of their own, thanks to Chris Woakes’ Test match lines. Compared to the Capitals’ reeling tally of 36/3, the Royals mustered 26/3 in their powerplay as Woakes removed their openers in the third over. Having struck a couple of fours, Manan Vohra’s bid to find the third led him to pick mid-on. Two deliveries later, Jos Buttler was sent back courtesy of the game’s second Superman dive – this time by Pant, who dived full length to his left to snaffle an inside edge.

Missing in the first game, Kagiso Rabada struck on the first ball of his IPL season, as Samson healthily edged him to Dhawan in the slip. Avesh Khan got Dhawan more business: he induced an edge of Shivam Dube in the 8th over that Dhawan grabbed in the slips, and then got Riyan Parag caught at extra cover in the 10th.

Killer Miller’s valiance, Morris’ magic rescue the Royals

Doing what Pant did for his team, David Miller counterattacked with positive intent, hitting Khan for consecutive fours immediately after he got in. He pummeled a hat-trick of fours off Stoinis to rekindle some hope in a dull camp. Miller’s effort rubbed on Rahul Tewatia too, who whacked a couple of fours against Curran, although the 48-run stand was broken when Tewatia miscued a pull against Rabada that Lalit Yadav successfully grabbed at midwicket.

Miller denied dropping anchor as he smoked Khan for two consecutive sixes, immediately after he brought up his valiant half-century. Although in an attempt to make it three in three, Miller could only reach as far as Yadav at long-on.

The new man, Unadkat, murdered a six off Woakes in the 16th over, while Chris Morris sent Rabada out of the ground twice in the penultimate over to leave Curran with only 12 runs to defend. Morris heaved him over deep backward square on the second ball before Curran gifted him a full-toss, which was dispatched deep in the night sky in the same area to seal a three-wicket win.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: