Rajasthan Royals' qualification to the playoffs was delayed after they lost to the Delhi Capitals by 20 runs on Tuesday in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). RR have thus lost two matches in a row and that has kept them from getting a Q beside their name on the IPL points table. For DC, the victory was crucial as it kept them right in the thick of things in the race for the playoffs. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abhishek Porel smashed explosive half-centuries while Tristan Stubbs scored 41 in 20 balls as DC scored 221/8 batting first. Sanju Samson's 46-ball 86 had made it look like RR are set to chase the total down with ease. However, Kuldeep changed the tide of the match in the 17th over, conceding just four runs and taking two wickets.

DC scored 53 runs in the final three overs while the Royals managed only 20 runs which played a key role in their defeat and at the same time kept DC's hopes alive. While chasing 222, the Royals adopted a similar approach of going berserk in the powerplay despite losing a couple of wickets. Jos Buttler came in as an impact substitute for the visitors and failed to make much of an impact along with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal found the fence on the first ball of the first over but Khaleel Ahmed struck on the next ball to dismiss the young opener. The World Cup-bound opener's dismissal introduced Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson who went all guns blazing. Buttler found two boundaries and tonked a maximum before Axar breached through his defence and dislodged his stumps in the final over of the powerplay.

RR ended the powerplay with a score of 67/2. The Royals skipper went on to forge a 36-run stand with Riyan Parag (27) and then a 59-run stand with Shubham Dubey. Khallel bowled four consecutive wides in the 14th over which helped RR maintain the asking rate.

Samson (86) seemed well poised to hit the three-digit mark but Mukesh Kumar dismissed the set batter with Shai Hope taking a sharp catch at the boundary. With four overs left and Royals 52 runs behind, Shubham struck a six and a four in the first two balls off Khaleel to take the visitors close to the target. Khaleel once again had the last laugh with a short ball to dismiss Shubham (25).

Debutant Donovan Ferreira's moment to shine was stolen away by Kuldeep Yadav in a game-changing 18th over. The 'Chinaman' spinner struck back in the same over by claiming Ravichandran Ashwin's wicket. The Royals needed Rovman Powell's big hitting at the death and he delivered with a towering six off Rasikh Dar Salam when the visitors needed 35 runs in 9 deliveries.

With 29 runs needed in 6 deliveries, Boult took a single to put Powell on strike and make the equation 28 runs in 5 balls. Mukesh put the final nail in the coffin with a curving yorker making Powell (13) lose his shape and dislodge the bails off the stumps. DC sealed a comprehensive 20-run win.

IPL points table after DC vs RR

The victory helps DC jump past LSG to take the fifth spot. DC are the fourth team to get to 12 points. Third-placed CSK and fourth-placed SRH are above them while LSG go below on the basis of the net run rate of the four teams. Meanwhile, RR remain second behind KKR, having suffered a second consecutive loss after having gone the entirety of the season with just one defeat before that. They are tied on 16 points with KKR, with the latter's net run rate of 1.453, the best in the league, keeping them top of the table.

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