Ponting wild celebration after Tewatia, Ishant’s last over | Cricket
Nick Knight called it a “very flat and good surface” with a “180–190” winning score. Who would have known that the Ahmedabad track would have shown a different face. delhi capitalsAt one stage of the game, he was injured at 23 for 5 before scoring 130 against the Gujarat Titans. It looked like their victory was assured for the defending champions, but they were wrong as most, if not all, were wrong. Skipper Hardik Pandya and Abhinav Manohar got off to a similar start before reviving the innings but failed to carry on.
When Delhi looked certain to win, Rahul Tewatia did what he does best – hit Anrich Nortje for three straight sixes. But unlike the usual script for him, he failed to complete it and a new hero emerged. Ishant Sharma, who has often been dismissed as a T20 bowler, held his nerve to dismiss Tewatia and defend 11 runs in the final over. For guiding DC to an unimaginable victory.
When Gujarat needed 33 off the last 12 balls, Delhi were favourites. The narrative in the match favored Delhi, but they were up against a team that had once chased down 12 for 2 and the man who got it out was still in the middle.
Nortje has earned the reputation of a death overs specialist. In one match for Delhi this season, he bowled exemplary with the old ball and displayed a pin-point yorker. It was the same strategy on Tuesday. Hardik could only manage three runs in the first three balls before giving the strike back to Tewatia and Gujarat had to pay for it.
The Iceman drove the fourth ball, a low full toss, over deep square leg for the first six, then smashed the yorker over long-on for the second six, and in the final delivery, again a yorker, Tewatia shuffled and cowed it. Threw over the corner for the third consecutive maximum.
Ahmedabad Crowd was live once again. There was hope for GT. The equation was dropped on 6. On 12. But to whom did Delhi turn? An experienced Ishant.
Hardik scored three runs off the first two balls and kept Tewatia on strike, but it didn’t go well for GT this time. Ishant finally managed what Nortje failed to do in the previous yorker – a wide yorker – and it was a dot ball. Ishant goes wide again, but deftly reduces his pace by dismissing a length ball. Tewatia edged away, looked to slam it over mid-off but got no timing and was found by the fielder.
Rashid Khan also showed his ability to finish off games with a six off his trademark snake shot, but Ishant could not deny more than three runs off the last two balls as DC sealed a five-run win. It was an improbable win on many margins, but the goal they set, their second worst performance of the season so far and third against the defending champions and table toppers of the current season. Well, Ricky Ponting’s crazy celebration summed it up for Delhi as he leapt out of his seat to hug his teammates while Tewatia was inconsolable.
“I have played a lot of cricket with him (Tewatia), so was just having fun with him. I knew I would have to double bluff him otherwise we know what he can do with the bat,” Ishant later told Tewatia. told about his plans for Last over.
