By Jake Fraser-McGurk made a stunning IPL debut with a 55 off 35 – including 3 fours and 5 sixes – as Delhi Capitals defeated Lucknow Super Giants, handing them their first loss in the IPL despite LSG posting a 160-plus total. The DC bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav, struck early to unsettle LSG’s top-order, but Ayush Badoni counter-attacked effectively. LSG’s 167/7 was the highest total for a team after losing their first seven wickets for under 100 in IPL history, but it was not enough in the end.
Delhi Capitals, though lower in the points table, have Khaleel Ahmed joint-third on the bowling charts for the season. He played a crucial role in setting up the team’s only other win this season, against CSK, and once again troubled LSG’s top-order. Khaleel got the decision in his favor for an LBW appeal against Quinton de Kock and dismissed Devdutt Padikkal leg before in his next over. This was the fourth time de Kock fell to a left-arm pacer and the third for Padikkal.
Kuldeep Yadav’s magic in the middle-overs further dented LSG’s progress. He induced a leading edge from Marcus Stoinis and bowled a fabulous googly to dismiss Nicholas Pooran. KL Rahul became Kuldeep’s third victim, and despite needing a review, Rishabh Pant’s conviction paid off. LSG went from 80 for 5 in 10 overs to 94 for 7 in 13 overs.
Impressive IPL Debut for Jake Fraser-McGurk as DC Defeat LSG
Ayush Badoni then played a heroic innings, scoring an unbeaten 55 off 35, and shared a vital eighth-wicket stand of 73 runs with Arshad Khan. Badoni’s onslaught in the death overs, where he took on DC’s pacers, yielded 39 runs off the last three overs. Despite his efforts, Kuldeep finished with figures of 3 for 20, including 10 dot balls.
In response, DC’s run-chase remained unaffected by David Warner’s early dismissal as Jake Fraser-McGurk, making his IPL debut, impressed alongside Prithvi Shaw. Fraser-McGurk’s boundary spree took DC to 62/1 in 6 overs. Although Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Shaw, a partnership-defining 77-run stand between Rishabh Pant and Fraser-McGurk ensured DC’s victory. DC needed just 20 off 27 balls when Naveen Ul-Haq and Bishnoi dismissed both batsmen, but Shai Hope and Tristan Stubbs saw DC through comfortably in 18.1 overs.
Lucknow Super Giants will travel to Kolkata to face KKR on Sunday (April 14), while Delhi Capitals will take on Shubman Gill’s side in Ahmedabad on Friday (April 17).
