IPL 2019 Eliminator, DC vs SRH: Turning point – Rishabh Pant hits 20 runs off four Basil Thampi deliveries

Courtesy of this win, DC have moved into Qualifier 2, where they will now face Chennai Super Kings for a place in the final.

Wicket-keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant helped Delhi Capitals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by two wickets in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

Visakhapatnam: DC batsman Rishabh Pant plays a shot. (PTI)

Courtesy of this win, DC have moved into Qualifier 2, where they will now face Chennai Super Kings for a place in the final. However, things could have been different had it not been for a Pant special that helped DC snatch this win from the jaws of defeat.

Till the 17th over, Delhi had put up just 129 runs on the board and had lost five top-order batsmen. They need 163 to win and things were looking bleak. But Pant had other ideas as he simply exploded in the 18th over and tore apart Basil Thampi.

Off the first four deliveries Pant hit 20 runs as he hit two boundaries and two sixes each. In total, 22 runs came from the over and it completely changes the complexion of the match.

Although, Sherfane Rutherford and Rishabh Pant were dismissed in the next over but the Indian batsman had done their job by done and helped Delhi reach within touching distance of the match.

Also, it should be noted that there was an error in calculation from skipper Kane Williamson as their best pacer on the day, Khaeel Ahmed (2/24), still had one over left in his kitty after the end of the match. So, if Khaleel had bowled the 17th over, things could have been way different for SRH.