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          As it happened - Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2021, Dubai

          • Peter Della Penna, CricketSep 22, 2021, 06:06 PM
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              Peter Della Penna is an American cricket journalist who also writes for ESPNcricinfo.com and DreamCricket.com. Since 2010, he has penned the USA entry in the Cricket Round the World section of the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.
              Follow Peter on Twitter @PeterDellaPenna

          Big news just a few hours before the start of today's IPL 2021 game was that T Natarajan, the Sunrisers Hyderabad quick, had tested positive for Covid-19. He is in isolation, as is allrounder Vijay Shankar, Natarajan's close contact. The game is still on, though, and the Capitals are favourites: they are at No. 2 on the points table with 12 points from eight games, while Sunrisers are bottom, with two points from seven outings.

          If you're in the USA, you can watch today's Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad game on ESPN+, in English, as well as in Hindi.

          Capital punishment!

          9.32 pm

          Shreyas puts an exclamation point on victory by heaving a six over midwicket into the second tier for the winning runs. Delhi wallops Sunrisers by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare. Dhawan moves past 400 runs on the season once more and also reclaims sole possession of the orange cap from KL Rahul. But it was all set up by the heat from the South Africa pace duo of Rabada and Nortje at the start of the day. Five wickets shared between them to keep Sunrisers pinned down and Delhi never let up. That's all from me today. Stay tuned for the report. I'm Peter Della Penna. Take care!

          Shreyas & Pant dodging the banana peel

          9.21 pm

          It's under a run a ball required now. Shreyas has continued milking singles at one end while Pant has laced a pull over midwicket for six on the 16th off Bhuneshwar, then followed it up with a flick through fine leg for four and another six over square leg off Khaleel in the 17th to bring up another half-century stand for Capitals.

          Shikhar Dhawan passes the 400-run plateau again

          9.06 pm

          On the way to building up the half-century stand with Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan passed 400 runs for this IPL campaign. It marks the eighth time he's done it, one short of Suresh Raina for the most times in an IPL career.

          Meanwhile, Shreyas flicks two boundaries through the leg side just before the final strategic timeout. Capitals need 39 off 35 balls.

          Rashid breaks half-century stand

          8.48 pm

          Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer were cruising through the post Powerplay overs and had taken their partnership to 52 before Shikhar perished for 42 trying to slog sweep Rashid over square leg. Capitals are still in a very healthy position though. It would be quite miraculous to see a repeat of the Royals/Kings finish from yesterday, but you never know...

          Glimmer of hope for Sunrisers

          8.22 pm

          Khaleel takes the pace off with a cutter that fools Prithvi Shaw and Williamson takes a sensational catch running back from mid-on to complete the first wicket.

          Cobra Kai cricket courtesy of Capitals

          7.47 pm

          No mercy from Delhi. They struck first and struck hard throughout the innings with the ball. Rabada and Nortje continued to delivery battering ram pace to take wickets as the South African pair finish with three and two scalps apiece. The final over is capped with two runouts as Rishabh Pant completes a relay from Steven Smith to dismiss Rashid Khan before denying a stolen bye with a direct hit off the final ball for the second. Sunrisers are going to struggle digging themselves out of the cellar if they continue putting up batting performances like this. Capitals heavy favorites to chase down a target of 135.

          Stoinis injury update

          7.33 pm

          ICYMI - Marcus Stoinis limped off the field after the first ball of his second over and has not returned. It is now being reported on the host broadcaster as a left hamstring problem. No word on the severity of it though.

          Meanwhile, Abdul Samad's efforts to bring back respectability to the Sunrisers innings have been snuffed out by Rabada. One ball after smacking him back down the ground for a boundary, Rabada foxes him with an offcutter to produce a top edged pull taken by Pant behind the stumps. Can Rashid Khan and the tail wag enough to get Sunrisers to a remotely defendable score? The Afghanistan international is not going to take this lying down and uppercuts Rabada next ball after the wicket for a six over third man.

          Nortje and Rabada continue to bring the heat

          7.13 pm

          After burning Delhi's fielding review earlier, Nortje coerces Kedar Jadhav into doing the same for Sunrisers. Gas at 147.6 kph full and straight on the stumps and Kedar misses a flick. Kedar also loses his bearings too, along with the review. Nailed in front of off stump, ripping out middle. It was the kind of review that Shane Watson became infamous for. Never in doubt. Plenty of doubt though for Sunrisers' ability to get to a defendable total from here though.

          "Kagi-so-good!"

          6.58 pm

          Rabada has taken his second. Not for the first time this innings, a leading edge pops up inside the ring. Rabada is able to change his direction to claim it off his own bowling. Capitals fielding has been sloppy at times with a number of dropped catches so far, but Sunrisers haven't really taken advantage of it thanks to persistent breakthroughs by the bowlers to cover up for any fielding miscues.

          Red alert for Australia's T20 World Cup chances

          6.46 pm

          Marcus Stoinis has just limped off the field after the first delivery of the ninth over. Appeared to be a leg issue. Is it just a minor complaint or the sign of something more severe? It didn't look good.

          Blame Steyn for Warner's dismissal

          6.24 pm

          Meanwhile, Saha has fallen tamely to Rabada, top edging a pull to Shikhar Dhawan in the ring. Sunrisers woes from the first half of the season in India do not look like they are about to change now that the tournament is in Dubai.

          Warner feels the heat

          6.06 pm

          Fiery start from Anrich Nortje with the new ball. Every delivery over 140 kph and David Warner couldn't survive. Leading edge balloons over point to fall for a third-ball duck. More drama with a DRS review later in the over as Nortje's appeal for lbw to Kane Williamson is denied. Clear inside edge though so Capitals have wasted their review.

          Sunrisers will bat first

          5:39 pm

          Plenty of overseas star power lined up in this contest. Warner, Williamson, Holder and Rashid Khan for Sunrisers. Stoinis, Hetmyer, Rabada, Nortje for Capitals. Shreyas Iyer meanwhile is squeezing in a brief bit of football before play gets underway.

          The show will go on!

          5.13 pm

          Welcome back to another day of IPL action in the UAE. Despite a positive Covid Test scare in the last 24 hours with T Natarajan ruled out, there have been enough assurances given with regards to negative tests throughout the rest of the squads to be confident that it is not a fully-fledged outbreak. It means David Warner and the rest of Sunrisers Hyderabad are warming up to take on Delhi Capitals.