Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel’s decision to bowl first backfired almost immediately during their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, as openers Sunil Narine and Rahmanullah Gurbaz got off to a blazing start.
The pair took full advantage of the powerplay, racing to 48/0 in just under three overs and putting immense pressure on the Delhi bowlers. Axar’s plan to restrict KKR early with the ball seemed to unravel quickly in front of a charged-up Jaipur crowd.
Despite the initial onslaught, Delhi’s spinners managed to claw their way back into the contest during the middle overs. They picked up crucial wickets, including the dangerous Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, and Venkatesh Iyer, temporarily halting KKR’s momentum.
However, Rinku Singh and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi stepped up with steady contributions, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking. By the end of the 14th over, KKR had moved to a strong 142/4, positioning themselves for a big finish.
Delhi found a breakthrough in the 17th over when Chameera dismissed Raghuvanshi, briefly lifting the morale of the Capitals. But the momentum slipped again when Andre Russell walked in and was gifted a life almost immediately. A poor fielding effort by Karun Nair proved costly and allowed KKR to keep pushing toward a daunting total.
The error came on the third ball of the 19th over. Chameera bowled a full delivery just outside the tramline at 142.9 km/h. Russell threw his bat at it and sliced it toward deep cover point, where Karun Nair had a clear opportunity to stop it.
Unfortunately, he approached from the wrong angle, misjudged the bounce, and the ball deflected off his thigh, rolling away to the boundary. It was a costly lapse in what had already been a challenging outing for Delhi.
Nair’s frustration was evident, while KL Rahul, watching from nearby, responded with a visible facepalm—capturing the mood of Delhi’s fielding unit. The moment quickly went viral, with fans taking to Twitter to criticize the sloppy fielding and highlight the opportunity missed.
— ricky (@ricky5959046277) April 29, 2025
In a match where momentum was fleeting, that dropped chance added another layer of frustration to an already difficult day for Axar Patel’s side.