Rajasthan march on towards the knockout stages.   In a tight game, they were set a subpar total to chase.  

In an apparent effort to make the game a bit more interesting, they ran out both of their openers, and then Smith and Watson put them in an unassailable position – or so it seemed. 

They then lost a few quick wickets, had a horrendous drop by the Delhi fielders, lost a run-out in bizarre circumstances, but took the game in the end…

IPL Match Report
Date    : 11/05/2008
Teams (Home first)  : Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils
Result    : Rajasthan won, 3 wickets
Toss Won   : Rajasthan, chose to field
Top Bat Home   : Watson, 74
Top Bat Away   : Maharoof, 39
Highest first 6 over score : Del 47, Raj 21
Highest Opening Partnership : Del 47, Raj 11
Total sixes hit   : Del 5, Raj 6
Total wides   : Raj bowled 3, Del bowled 5
Total run outs   : 4

Lineups / Scorecard

Delhi
G. Gambhir      b Trivedi                          31 (23b)
V. Sehwag      c Kaif       b Watson          17 (20b)
S. Dhawan      run out                             3 (3b)
A. De Villiers   c Warne    b Mascarenhas   20 (22b)
D. Karthik       c Rawat    b Mascarenhas   13 (15b)
T. Dilshan       not out                            18 (15b)
A. Mishra        b Trivedi                           4 (5b)
F. Maharoof    c N. Patel  b Watson          39 (16b)
Y. Mahesh      not out                              0 (1b)
G. McGrath
Total             (7 wickets, 20 overs)       156

Rajasthan
Y. Pathan            run out                     8 (13b)
G. Smith             c Mahesh    b Mishra  24 (27b)
M. Kaif                run out                     1 (5b)
S. Watson           run out                    74 (40b)
R. Jadeja             b Mishra                    6 (6b)
D. Mascarenhas    b Sehwag                  9 (8b)
S. Warne             b Maharoof              11 (12b)
N. Patel               not out                     4 (2b)
M. Rawat             not out                     5 (4b)
S. Trivedi
M. Patel
Total                  (7 wickets, 19.1 overs)       159

The Delhi innings sputtered along from the start, hamstrung by intelligent bowling for the most part, which was delivered with well thought out fielding settings in mind.

Dangerous opening combo Gambhir and Sehwag got away fairly quickly, though not at their occasional rocket pace, and once again they were parted as the powerplay overs ended, with Sehwag spooning a limp shot straight to the fielder.  

Dimi Mascarenhas was picked for the last game for which he was eligible before returning to Hampshire, and despite getting some hammer in his first over, he ended up with reasonably tidy figures.

Dhawan soon followed, sacrificing himself for the team as a horrendous call meant either he or Gambhir was going to be run out, and Dhawan selflessly (and correctly) assessed that he was more expendable.   He would not have been pleased to see Gambhir depart 16 runs later, bowled by the excellent Trivedi...