Bengaluru, India: South African David Miller struck two sixes and a four off consecutive deliveries in the final over from Romario Shepherd to muscle Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL on Saturday.
After Bengaluru were restricted to 175-8 on a sluggish surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, swing exponent Bhuvneshwar Kumar rocked Delhi with the wickets of Pathum Nissanka, impact substitute Karun Nair and Sameer Rizvi inside the first three overs of their chase.
Half-centurions KL Rahul, 57 off 34 balls, and Tristan Stubbs rebuilt the innings with a 69-run stand for the fourth wicket, but once the former fell to Krunal Pandya, Bengaluru came storming back into the contest.
Delhi needed 42 off 25 deliveries when Miller walked out to the middle to join his compatriot Stubbs after skipper Axar Patel was forced to retire hurt on 26.
Bengaluru stayed in control until Shepherd was summoned to the bowling crease for the first time in the match to defend 15 runs.
Miller swung him over mid-wicket and drove him over cover for towering sixes before bringing up victory with a flicked four over mid-wicket to complement Stubbs, who held the chase together with calmness while finishing unbeaten on 60.
"When I walked out, Stubbo (Stubbs) said to me to keep the intensity really hard and that helped," Miller said.
"It's always good finishing off games with Stubbo and he just said, 'thank you so much, you saved me there'. For him being there was massive for us."
Bengaluru's first defeat at home in four matches this season helped Delhi arrest a two-match losing streak as Bhuvneshwar's new-ball exploits went in vain.
Bengaluru opener Phil Salt bossed the early exchanges in the afternoon after Axar put the home side in, dominating an opening stand of 52 with Virat Kohli.
With the pitch at its best for batting when the ball was new and hard, Salt unleashed a series of audacious strokes to bring up his half-century in a mere 30 deliveries.
Despite losing Devdutt Padikkal, Bengaluru seemed headed for a big total at 99 for two at the halfway mark when they were stymied by Delhi's spinners.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Axar took two for 18 from three overs while left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two for 32 from four as the Bengaluru innings was robbed of momentum.
Wickets fell in quick succession, aiding Delhi in tightening the screws and conceding only 29 runs in the last five overs, which was decisive in the context of the match.
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