Rain stops play after Delhi Capitals fold for 133, SRH playoff hopes hang by a thread

Pic: IPL/X

Rain interrupted proceedings on Monday night after Sunrisers Hyderabad restricted Delhi Capitals to 133 for 7 in their IPL 2025 clash, putting the home side's playoff hopes on a knife's edge.

Asked to bat first, Delhi endured a catastrophic start, collapsing to 29 for 5 within just 7.1 overs. The top order was dismantled by SRH captain Pat Cummins, who delivered a fiery spell to finish with figures of 3 for 19, while Jaydev Unadkat provided effective support, conceding just 13 runs and picking up a wicket in his disciplined four-over spell.

Just when it seemed Delhi might fold for a sub-100 score, a gritty partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma breathed life into their innings. Batting at No. 8, Ashutosh played a counter-attacking knock, smashing 41 off 26 deliveries, including two fours and three sixes. Stubbs held one end firm and remained unbeaten on 41, anchoring the recovery.

Together, the pair stitched a crucial 66-run stand off just 45 balls for the seventh wicket, lifting DC to a respectable total after being in dire straits early on. Their resilience ensured Delhi had something to bowl at, despite losing their frontline batters cheaply.

However, just as the match was set up for an exciting run chase under lights at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, rain halted the contest. The players were forced off the field, with ground staff rushing to cover the square as the drizzle intensified.

The delay could not have come at a worse time for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Currently languishing near the bottom of the table, a washout would all but seal their elimination from the playoff race, making this match a virtual do-or-die scenario. If the game does not resume, SRH will exit the tournament without having the opportunity to chase down a modest target, a bitter blow to a side that has already endured a turbulent campaign.

Teams:

Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (C), Abishek Porel, Faf du Plessis, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, and T Natarajan.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (C), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sachin Baby, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga, and Jaydev Unadkat