Stoinis stars as Delhi down Hyderabad to attain IPL final
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis starred with bat and ball as Delhi Capitals made their first ever Indian Premier League final after a 17-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
Stoinis took three wickets including Kane Williamson's key scalp for 67 along with his pace bowling after scoring 38 in Delhi's 189 for three in the second qualifier in Abu Dhabi.
Stoinis' 86-run opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan, who made 78, paved just how for Delhi establishing a title clash with holders Mumbai Indians, who had beaten Delhi in the first qualifier, on Tuesday.
"It has been a roller coaster," Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer said of his team who lost matches towards the business end prior to making the play-offs.
"We were lacking with the opening partnership. Needed a rocket start. We thought if Stoinis plays the utmost deliveries, he could give us a push."
Hyderabad, the 2016 IPL winners and led by Australia's David Warner, signed off the Twenty20 tournament after managing 172 for eight in the knockout game.
Delhi quick Kagiso Rabada struck first with the main element wicket of Warner for just two and returned figures of 4-29 to make contact with the top of this IPL season's bowling chart with 29 wickets.
Delhi began cautiously but Stoinis changed gear after being dropped on three by Jason Holder at silly mid-on off medium-pace bowler Sandeep Sharma.
Stoinis, who opened the innings after Prithvi Shaw was dropped because of poor form, hit five fours and one six in his 27-ball knock before being bowled off a Rashid Khan googly.
Dhawan raised his fifty off 26 deliveries with a six off spinner Shahbaz Nadeem who gave away 48 runs from his four overs.
The left-handed Indian opener went past 600 runs this year in the IPL being played behind closed doors in the United Arab Emirates as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer played a crucial cameo as he hit an unbeaten 44 off 22 deliveries.
In reply, Hyderabad were in big trouble at 90 for four before Williamson raised his team's hopes with his second successive fifty and a 57-run fifth-wicket partnership with Abdul Samad, who made 33 off 16 deliveries.
Williamson smashed five fours and four sixes in his 45-ball knock before falling to Stoinis who believes Delhi's "best cricket" ought to be enough to win against a "very good" Mumbai team.
