New Delhi: If you require a reminder of why Mitchell Starc commands significant sums whenever he enters the IPL players auction, simply observe the final over he bowled against the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday night. In a match where RR appeared to be in control of the chase, the Australian fast bowler stifled their innings by successfully defending nine runs in the last over, leading to the first Super Over in the tournament since 2021.

Starc also played a crucial role in the Super Over, allowing only 11 runs, with RR's innings concluding with one ball remaining. The Delhi Capitals relied on KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs to secure victory against Sandeep Sharma, which they accomplished in just four balls. Having narrowly avoided a second defeat at home, DC will be encouraged by a win that showcased their composure under pressure.

Rajasthan Royals hoped that the left-right batting combination of Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag would effectively counter Starc's bowling. Additionally, the decision to favor Sandeep over Jofra Archer, who also performed well, may warrant reconsideration, as Sandeep's lengths during the powerplay were somewhat predictable.

In their pursuit of a modest target of 189 runs, Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) and Sanju Samson (31) aimed to establish a strong start during the powerplay. Samson was performing well but had to leave the field after sustaining a side strain in the sixth over. Jaiswal led the innings with a composed 34-ball fifty before Nitish Rana (51) took charge. Although his innings was not without risk, he managed to guide the chase on a familiar pitch.

Choosing to bat first, DC appeared set for a substantial total at 33/0 within just two overs. However, RR mounted an impressive comeback during the powerplay, reducing DC to 46/2 by its conclusion—a stark contrast to the 60-70 run targets that teams have been aiming for in this season's powerplays.

Regardless of the final outcome, DC's inconsistency at the top of the batting order—stemming from the absence of Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser McGurk's recent struggles—will need to be addressed. This issue became evident once again during their innings.

Porel, who appeared to be in good form, skillfully dodged a bodyline bouncer from Archer that grazed the bottom edge, but ultimately fell to Hasaranga shortly after. 

During the team's downturn, captain Axar delivered an explosive performance, scoring 34 runs off just 14 balls, aggressively targeting Hasaranga and Theekshana, which highlighted his development as a batsman over the past year.

Tristan Stubbs contributed a solid 34 not out, while Ashutosh Sharma supported him with an unbeaten 15 runs from the other end.

Read Also: Mitchell Starc delivers a classic final over performance, securing a tense Super Over victory for DC against RR.

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