Delhi Capitals captain David Warner was handed an early reprieve during Wednesday morning’s Indian Premier League match against reigning champions the Gujarat Titans at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Mohammed Shami’s first legal delivery of the match was an absolute jaffa, nipping away from the clueless Warner and beating the left-hander’s outside edge.
Gujarat appealed for caught behind, but replays showed the ball had missed Warner’s outside edge, instead flicking the top of his off stump. Thankfully for the Australian, the bails were unmoved.
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Warner went on to score a sluggish 37 (32) before falling victim to West Indies seamer Alzarri Joseph, chopping a length delivery back into his stumps in the ninth over.
The 36-year-old’s recent T20 form is cause for concern — he has a strike rate of 112.3 in eight knocks this year with a 43.9 dot ball percentage.
Compatriot Mitchell Marsh didn’t fare much better on Wednesday, bowled by Shami for 4 (4) after awkwardly prodding at a length delivery outside off stump without any footwork, also chopping on.
The Capitals ultimately scored 8-162 from their 20 overs, with Indian all-rounder Axar Patel contributing a valuable 36 (22) at the death, including three sixes.
Shami and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan were the pick of the bowlers with three scalps each, while Joseph finished with 2-29 from his four overs.
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In response, Gujarat was in early trouble at 3-54 in the sixth over, with rising star Shubman Gill and skipper Hardik Pandya back in the sheds cheaply.
But the defending champions ultimately chased the target with 11 balls to spare courtesy of a classy 62 (48) not out from young gun Sai Sudharsan, who combined with South Africa’s David Miller for an unbeaten 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
“He has been batting beautifully,” Pandya said of Sudharsan.
“You can see the fruit of his hard work. In two years, he will do something big in franchise cricket and hopefully for India.”
Miller was one of several South Africans that joined the IPL after the recent ODI series against the Netherlands at home, which wrapped up earlier this week.
“Didn’t have time to get jet-lagged,” laughed Miller, who touched down in India earlier that day.
Marsh bowled for the first time since returning from ankle surgery, finishing with 1-24 from 3.1 overs, including the wicket of Vijay Shankar, who was trapped LBW for 29 (23).
Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, recovering from a horrific car accident in December, made his first public appearance during the contest, waving to his fans from the stands.
Gujarat has climbed to top spot of the IPL after securing back-to-back triumphs, while the Capitals are still searching for their first win of the season.
“Losing wickets in the powerplay can be a struggle,” Warner said after the defeat.
“We have got six more games here and anticipate the swing upfront. They bowled extremely well. We were in the game, but Sai batted extremely well, and David Miller took it away.”
Delhi will next face the Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Stadium on Saturday, with the first ball scheduled for 8pm AEST.
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