Delhi Capitals broke Lucknow Super Giants' streak of defending 160-plus runs and climbed up from the bottom of the IPL 2024 table with a six-wicket victory in Lucknow on Friday. Kuldeep Yadav's return from injury provided the team with inspiration, and Australia's Jake Fraser-McGurk's sparkling half-century on his IPL debut helped them achieve their target with 11 balls to spare.
LSG chose to bat first but produced a stuttering innings, finishing just above the 160-mark, a score from which they had never lost before. KL Rahul gave them a fast start with 39 off 22, but Kuldeep quickly dismantled their line-up, taking crucial wickets. Rahul's dismissal by Kuldeep left LSG at 77 for 5, and their position worsened before improving.
At 94 for 7 after 13 overs, DC appeared to be on course for a walkover. Ayush Badoni's 31-ball fifty and an unbroken stand of 73 with Arshad Khan - an IPL record for the eighth wicket - provided LSG's spin attack with a defendable total.
Despite a run of four defeats in five, DC still had a chance. Prithvi Shaw gave the chase a punchy start to settle some nerves, and then it was over to Fraser-McGurk, the 22-year-old from Melbourne, to provide the fireworks. His first scoring shot was a powerful six over deep midwicket, and he cleared the ropes four more times to reach his half-century from just 31 balls. He and Rishabh Pant departed after a partnership of 77 runs off 46 balls, but by then DC was well on track.