On This Day in 2021: Delhi Capitals Snatch Victory from Sunrisers Hyderabad in a Thrilling Super Over Finish
Delhi Capitals and Super Overs have always been a thrilling combo, giving fans some of the most exciting matches in IPL history. One such nail-biter took place on 25th April 2021, when Delhi Capitals went up against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai.
In a match full of drama and pressure, Delhi managed to hold their nerve and defeat SRH in a tense Super Over to seal the win. But before we get to that thrilling finish, let’s take a look at how the entire match unfolded on that unforgettable day.
SRH vs DC: 25th April 2021
Being the 2021 IPL and the match between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25th at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, it turned out to be one of the most thrilling contests of the season, ultimately decided in a Super Over. This 20th match of the tournament saw both teams score exactly 159 runs in their respective 20 overs, with Delhi Capitals emerging victorious in the one-over eliminator.
Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that made sense considering the slow nature of the Chepauk pitch. Their innings got off to a strong start, thanks to Prithvi Shaw’s attacking mindset in the powerplay. Shaw took full advantage of the new ball and quickened the scoring early on. He reached his half-century in just 35 balls, playing with freedom and timing. His knock of 53 off 39 balls included 7 fours and 1 six, laying a solid base for Delhi. Alongside him, Shikhar Dhawan played a cautious but effective innings, contributing 28 off 26 balls. The openers added 81 runs for the first wicket before Dhawan was bowled by Rashid Khan in the 11th over.
#IPL2021, MATCH 20 SRH VS DC – MATCH REPORT#DC 159/4 (Prithvi Shaw 53, Rishabh Pant 37; Siddarth Kaul 2/31) tied #SRH 159/7 (Kane Williamson 66*, Jonny Bairstow 38; Avesh Khan 3/34)
— Indian Cricket Team (@IndianCricNews) April 26, 2021
Super Over:
Delhi Capitals 8/0 beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 7/0#SRHvDC #SRHvsDC pic.twitter.com/M4ewNhv9pu
Shortly after, Shaw was run out trying to sneak a quick run, leaving DC at 84/2. However, DC’s momentum was kept alive by Rishabh Pant, who played with aggression and intent. He smashed 37 off 27 balls, including 4 fours and 1 six, in a valuable partnership with Steve Smith. Pant’s presence ensured the run rate stayed healthy despite the pitch slowing down.
Smith played a smart, steady hand, finishing not out on 34 off 25 balls. He rotated the strike well and hit a few boundaries when needed.
The finishing touch wasn’t explosive, but it was enough to take Delhi to a respectable 159/4 in 20 overs. This was a solid total on a pitch where run-making was tricky once the ball got older. From the bowling side, Siddarth Kaul was the most successful for SRH, picking up 2 wickets. Rashid Khan remained economical and effective as always with 1/31. However, DC’s batters handled the spinners well overall. Chasing 160, SRH needed a good start, but things didn’t go as planned. David Warner, the captain, was run out for just 6 runs after a mix-up.
#DC vs #SRH: How #AxarPatel convinced Rishabh Pant to let him bowl Super Over against Warner and Williamson#DCvsSRH #IPL2021
— Times Now Sports (@timesnowsports) April 26, 2021
Read: https://t.co/wSiYSll6GT pic.twitter.com/5rF91d5En3
That put pressure on Jonny Bairstow, but he responded with a blazing knock. Bairstow struck 38 off only 18 balls, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes, and kept SRH ahead of the asking rate. He was looking dangerous before falling to Avesh Khan, who bowled a clever short ball to dismiss him. Avesh’s wicket was a major turning point. The innings slowed down after that. Kane Williamson took charge and anchored the innings with a calm and composed knock. He scored an unbeaten 66 off 51 balls, including 8 boundaries. While he didn’t hit any sixes, he smartly manoeuvred the field and rotated the strike well.
Unfortunately for SRH, the middle order couldn’t offer enough support. Virat Singh, Kedar Jadhav, and Abhishek Sharma failed to make meaningful contributions. Patel and Avesh kept things tight in the middle overs and picked up wickets regularly. Axar Patel, returning from COVID-19 recovery, made an impact by removing both Abhishek Sharma and Rashid Khan in the 16th over, swinging the game in DC’s favour. Vijay Shankar and Jagadeesha Suchith added a few late runs, but the momentum had dipped.
#IPL2021 #SRHvDC
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) April 25, 2021
David Warner ran a short run off the last ball of the #SRH #SuperOver. #DC won the match with a single off the last ball.https://t.co/wowTYEm8Cf
Despite all this, Williamson’s clever batting took the game to the last over. They needed 16 off the last 6 balls and managed to level the scores. But a boundary couldn’t be found when it mattered the most. SRH finished at 159/7, tying the match and pushing it to a Super Over.
Avesh Khan ended with impressive figures of 3/34 and was named Cricinfo’s MVP of the match. Axar Patel was equally effective with 2/26 in his 4 overs.
Super Over
In the Super Over, Delhi Capitals sent out two left-handers, Pant and Dhawan to counter Rashid Khan, who was unsurprisingly chosen to bowl for SRH. Rashid, despite his reputation, could only contain the batters to seven runs in the over. However, a critical error on the last ball, where Warner failed to ground his bat while completing a run, resulted in one short run being deducted from SRH’s Super Over total. This meant that Delhi needed just 8 runs to win.
IPL 2021: Not sending Bairstow in Super Over vs DC will haunt SRH, says Pragyan Ojha https://t.co/ucB9I0dY25 DC vs SRH: Not sending Jonny Bairstow in the Super Over will haunt Sunrisers Hyderabad, says Pragyan Ojha pic.twitter.com/AN3Cio18EU
— Vishal verma (@Vishalverma111) April 26, 2021
In a surprising move, DC handed the ball to Axar Patel, a left-arm spinner, to defend in the Super Over instead of Rabada or Avesh Khan. Patel, who had recently recovered from COVID-19, displayed tremendous control under pressure. His over went as follows: no run, single, four, dot, leg bye, and a single to end the over.
He conceded only 7 runs, matching SRH’s total but without the deduction, meaning DC had already edged ahead. Pant and Dhawan came out to chase the modest target of 8 in the Super Over. Despite Rashid’s accuracy, they managed to cross the line with a boundary and a few singles, finishing the chase on the penultimate delivery.
READ: The things went down to the wire as @DelhiCapitals edged out @SunRisers in the first Super Over-finish of the #VIVOIPL 2021. 👌👌 #SRHvDC
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2021
More on that thriller 👇https://t.co/b5T2f0TUDG
Post-match reactions reflected the roller-coaster nature of the game. Prithvi Shaw credited the pitch and his preparation, noting that it was tough to score once the powerplay ended. Dhawan, acting captain, expressed relief but also noted that DC should have won the match earlier. He praised Axar Patel for stepping up during the Super Over. Warner appeared disappointed, especially with the exclusion of Manish Pandey, subtly criticizing the selectors and lamenting the missed opportunities.
Steven Smith reflected on the difficulty of the pitch, remarking how players who tried to muscle the ball didn’t find success, and praised Williamson for his smart innings. This match highlighted the unpredictable charm of the IPL, from tight finishes and strategic brilliance to individual moments that make all the difference. For Delhi Capitals, this match was a statement of resilience and depth.
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