IPL 2023: Aman Khan’s maiden half-century and disciplined pacers lead Delhi Capitals to thrilling victory over Gujarat Titans | Match report

Aman Khan announced his arrival in the world of T20 cricket with a superbly crafted half-century, which was complemented by the pacers’ disciplined bowling, as the Delhi Capitals kept their playoff dreams alive with a thrilling five-run victory over the Gujarat Titans in the IPL clash on Tuesday.

The Gujarat Titans, who were put in to bowl, began brightly as Mohammed Shami ran through the Capitals’ top order with exceptional accuracy, finishing with figures of 4/11 in four overs, restricting them to a below-par 130/8. Aman Khan fought a lone battle, accumulating much-needed runs on the board. He partnered with Axar Patel (27) for a 50-run stand off 54 balls and with Ripal Patel (23) for a 53-run partnership off just 27 balls.

In response, the Titans were in trouble from the beginning as the Delhi quicks made early breakthroughs, taking three wickets in the powerplay. Khaleel Ahmed, the ‘Impact Player,’ bowled a wicket-maiden first over, while Anrich Nortje dismissed the dangerous Shubman Gill (6). Ishant Sharma got the better of Vijay Shankar (6) with a perfectly executed knuckle ball.

The introduction of the slow bowlers resulted in a flurry of wickets, as Kuldeep Yadav bamboozled David Miller (0) in the seventh over. Despite Hardik Pandya’s sedate fifty (59 off 53) and Rahul Tewatia’s hat-trick of sixes (20), Delhi’s bowlers held their nerve to stop the defending champions at 125/6.

Pandya and Abhinav Manohar (26) steadied the ship with a crucial 62-run stand for the fifth wicket. Tewatia hit three consecutive sixes off the penultimate over to keep the Titans in the hunt. However, Ishant Sharma gave away just six runs in the final over and took the vital wicket of Tewatia, leaving the Titans six runs short of the target.

Despite the dramatic collapse, losing five wickets for 23 runs inside five overs, Delhi held on to their nerves to secure their third win of the season, while the Titans continued to remain on top of the table.

It was a hard-fought victory for the Delhi Capitals, with the pacers leading the charge and Aman Khan’s maiden T20 fifty providing the much-needed impetus. The victory keeps Delhi’s playoff hopes alive, and they will look to carry this momentum forward into their upcoming matches.

(With inputs from agency)