Delhi Capitals kicked off with intent, thanks to Abishek Porel’s explosive assault — smashing 23 runs off Tushar Deshpande and powering the team to 33/0 in just two overs.
However, the momentum dipped as Jake Fraser-McGurk and Karun Nair fell cheaply, leaving Delhi at 46/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Porel continued to anchor the innings alongside KL Rahul, stitching together a steady partnership, but Rajasthan Royals’ disciplined bowling turned the tide.
Jofra Archer and Maheesh Theekshana claimed key wickets, slowing the Capitals’ charge and restricting them to 106/4 after 14 overs. Axar Patel injected some late energy with a quickfire 34 off 14 balls, giving Delhi a much-needed push toward a competitive total.
Tension rose again during the 18th over when a moment of controversy sparked animated scenes on the sidelines. On the fourth ball, Sandeep Sharma bowled a clever bouncer disguised as a short delivery. Ashutosh Sharma shaped up for an uppercut but pulled away at the last second.
The ball sailed past his bat and close to Sanju Samson’s gloves. The RR skipper smiled and appealed, but the umpire remained unmoved. Samson went for the DRS, but UltraEdge confirmed no contact, and the original decision stood.
— Deba (@Deba192240) April 16, 2025
What raised eyebrows was that the ball, being too high, should have been signaled a wide — yet wasn’t. As play resumed, Delhi head coach Hemang Badani was seen in an animated exchange with the fourth umpire, visibly questioning the decision.
— Deba (@Deba192240) April 16, 2025
The moment quickly lit up social media, with fans debating the controversial call and questioning the consistency of umpiring.