After dismissing Gujarat Titans for 89, the only chat in the Delhi Capitals dugout was to get the job done quickly. They went on to chase down the target with 67 balls to spare and, as a result, their net run rate (NRR) jumped from -0.975 to -0.074 and they leapfrogged Titans to sixth spot on the points table.
“We talked about champion mindset,” Rishabh Pant, Capitals captain who was also the Player of the Match, said. “The only conversation was to get it as early as possible because we lost a few NRR points in a few matches and tried to cover it up.”
It was Jake Fraser-McGurk, who led the way for them with the bat. After a half-century on IPL debut he got going here with a six and a four, taking 14 off the opening over of the chase bowled by Sandeep Warrier. He made 20 off nine balls with two fours and two sixes before being dismissed by fellow Australia Spencer Johnson.
“[I was] just trying to get on to a nice start and hopefully get the net run rate going in our favour,” Fraser-McGurk said. “When you are riding this phase [of good form], you’ve got to ride it for as long as you can. Keep going and trying your luck, cricket is a feeble game when it turns.”
Opting to bowl, Capitals struck regularly in the powerplay with Ishant Sharma picking up two wickets. Tristan Stubbs also picked up two wickets in an over – that of Abhinav Manohar and M Shahrukh Khan – while Mukesh Kumar finished with three wickets for just 14. It all added up to Capitals having to chase just 90.
“[The NRR] was definitely something we talked of during the break,” Fraser-McGurk laughed, “I don’t think I needed much encouragement to go out and try and chase that fast. Something we talked about and happy to get it done pretty quick.
“We got the better of the conditions. There was a little bit of dew and it skidded on nicely. Kept a bit low though. I didn’t face much spin or slower-pace balls, so it was nice personally.”
Fraser-McGurk rose to fame with a 29-ball century, the fastest in men’s List-A cricket, in the Marsh Cup last year and then made his debut for Australia earlier this year. He received a message from Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting in February, asking if he would want to play for Delhi as a replacement player. He was then brought in for Capitals as an injury replacement for Lungi Ngidi.
“It’s pretty surreal; you have to pinch yourself every time you are here,” he now said of sharing the dressing room with Ponting. “The last memory I have of him playing is of his last Test where Nathan Lyon came out to bat as nightwatchman instead of him. That was pretty funny.
“We [Capitals] have got confidence in the way we play, we know how to go about our business. Took us a few games to find that out. We can keep looking up and jumped up a few steps on the ladder here. We keep going [like this], who knows…”
This was Capitals’ third win in seven matches.
