The Delhi Premier League (DPL) witnessed a nail-biting semi-final clash between the East Delhi Riders and the North Delhi Strikers, culminating in a thrilling four-wicket victory for the Riders. This win propels them into the final, where they will face the winners of the second semi-final between South Delhi Superstarz and Purani Dilli 6.
The semi-final, held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, was reduced to 18 overs per side due to rain. North Delhi Strikers, batting first, posted a competitive total of 173/4. The East Delhi Riders, led by a late onslaught from Harsh Tyagi and Kavya Gupta, chased down the target in 17.3 overs, securing their place in the final.
North Delhi Strikers’ Innings
The Strikers got off to a flying start, with openers Sarthak Ranjan and Vaibhav Kandpal smashing 58 runs in the five-over powerplay. Mayank Rawat provided a much-needed breakthrough for the Riders by dismissing Ranjan in the seventh over. Harsh Tyagi then grabbed two quick wickets, removing Yash Dabas and Kandpal, leaving the Strikers at 86/3 after 10 overs.
Yajash Sharma’s quickfire 34 off 16 balls ended in the 13th over, but Vaibhav Rawal and Yash Bhatia combined to push the Strikers past the 150-run mark. Their 58-run partnership off 31 balls helped the Strikers post a formidable total of 173/4 in their allotted 18 overs.
East Delhi Riders’ Chase
The Riders began their chase at a blistering pace. Anuj Rawat, after a promising start, was dismissed for 18 off 9 in the second over. Sujal Singh followed him back to the pavilion in the fifth over, leaving the Riders at 54/2 by the end of the powerplay. Siddhartha Solanki, who dismissed Singh, went on to claim two more wickets, removing skipper Himmat Singh and Hardik Sharma in quick succession, reducing the Riders to 91/4 after 10 overs.
Suyash Sharma then dismissed Pranav Pant, leaving the Riders with a challenging equation of 71 runs needed from 36 balls. Mayank Rawat was the next to fall as Pranshu Vijayran grabbed his second wicket of the match, putting the Strikers in a commanding position.
𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 #AdaniDPLT20! 🥳
Congratulations to the East Delhi Riders for their magnificent win! 👏#AdaniDelhiPremierLeagueT20 #DilliKiDahaad | @JioCinema @Sports18 pic.twitter.com/fMIvtXO1uB
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) September 6, 2024
However, Harsh Tyagi and Impact Sub Kavya Gupta fought back valiantly in the following overs. They smashed 22 runs in Solanki’s fourth over, reducing the equation to 21 needed off 12 balls. The duo eventually chased down the target with three balls to spare, taking their team to the final of the inaugural edition of the DPL T20.
East Delhi Riders in DPL Final
The East Delhi Riders will now face the winners of the second semi-final between South Delhi Superstarz and Purani Dilli 6 in the summit clash on Sunday. With their current form and the momentum from this thrilling victory, the Riders will be looking to clinch the title in the inaugural edition of the DPL T20.
Also Read: Hokato Sema Wins Bronze at Paris Paralympics 2024 with a New Personal Best
