New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Former Australian cricketer Aaron Finch feels that Delhi Capitals (DC) wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul’s technique helped him conquer Josh Hazlewood’s challenge in the 26th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Chasing 176, Delhi Capitals were under pressure early after slipping to 18/3 in the powerplay. Rahul then took charge of the innings, counter-attacking the RCB bowlers and shifting momentum with his positive approach. Finch pointed out that Rahul’s strong technique allowed him to handle Hazlewood’s disciplined line and length effectively.

“He came after him early, first ball, he pumped him over cover for six. He had a decent match-up against Hazlewood. He’s probably the one player whose game really suits a bowler like Hazlewood, where he’s in and around that off stump,” Finch said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show.

“Another guy with good Test batting technique. So yeah, that was a crucial innings. He just found the boundary every time he needed one,” he added.

Rahul’s knock of 57 off 30 balls included several timely boundaries, including a standout over against Hazlewood where he scored 14 runs, helping DC recover from a difficult position. His ability to rotate strike and pick gaps ensured the required rate never got out of hand.

He also stitched a crucial 76-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs, which brought DC back into the contest after the early setbacks. While Rahul eventually fell in the middle overs, his innings laid the foundation for the chase.

The match eventually went down to the final over, where David Miller used his experience to finish things off with two sixes and a boundary, sealing a dramatic win for Delhi Capitals.

With this win, DC are now in fourth place in the points table with six points from five games. After breaking the two-game losing streak, DC will look to continue the momentum when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on April 21.

–IANS

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