Tim David and Andre Russell (AP Photos) NEW DELHI: Australia’s Tim David achieved a major IPL milestone by becoming the second fastest player to reach 1,000 runs during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s clash with Delhi Capitals at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. He got there in just 560 balls, second only to Andre Russell. David scored a quick 26 off 17 balls in the match and has now amassed over 1000 runs at an impressive strike rate of 177.83. He has been in excellent form this season, scoring 173 runs in six innings at an average of 86.50 and a strike rate of over 200.
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Mahela Jayawardene on bad bowling, combinations and team issuesDespite David’s success, RCB ended up on the losing side. Batting first, they posted 175/8 after a promising start. Phil Salt led the way with a good 63 while Virat Kohli contributed 19 in an opening stand of 52 runs. However, RCB struggled to maintain the momentum in the middle and death overs. After reaching 99/2 in 10 overs, they managed just 76 runs in the last 10 overs. Delhi’s bowlers, especially Axar Patel (2/18) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/32), kept the brakes on effectively while Lungi Ngidi also chipped in with two wickets.Chasing 176 on a slightly slow surface, Delhi Capitals got off to a shaky start, losing three wickets for just 18 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was outstanding at the start, taking three wickets and using the swing. However, KL Rahul leveled the innings with a composed 57 off 34 balls, combining elegance with control. He shared a key partnership of 69 runs with Tristan Stubbs who scored an unbeaten 60.After Rahul’s dismissal, Stubbs continued to anchor the chase and added another important stand with Axar Patel contributing 24 before he was injured. With 45 needed off the last 25 balls, the match was still tied. That’s when David Miller stepped up, smashing two sixes in the final over to seal a six-wicket win with one ball to spare.The win ended Delhi’s two-match losing streak and highlighted their resilience, while RCB had to reflect on missed opportunities despite Tim David’s milestone.
