All-round performance seals play-off berth for Delhi Capitals
New Delhi, Apr 28: Delhi Capitals qualified for the IPL play-offs for the first time since 2012 after a convincing 16-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore here on Sunday.
Entertaining knocks from captain Shreyas Iyer (52 off 37) and Shikhar Dhawan (50 off 37) helped Delhi put up a daunting 187 for five before the bowlers delivered once again to stop the RCB at 171 for seven.
It was Delhi's eighth win in 12 games, giving them the 16 points needed to seal a top-four berth. Chennai Super Kings were the first team to quality for the play-offs.
On the other hand, it is all but over for the Virat Kohli-led RCB, following their eighth loss in 12 games.
With 62 needed off the last five overs, the Delhi bowling attack, led by spinners Amit Mishra (2/29) and Axar Patel (1/26), produced another commendable performance after RCB made a promising start.
RCB opener Parthiv Patel initially resisted the Delhi attack with aplomb, hitting a belligerent 39 off 20 balls with five boundaries and a six while Kohli seemed happy to play spectator at the non-striker's end.
Although it was Delhi's home game but when Kohli survived a caught behind call on 4, it seemed most of the fans had turned up to cheer for the Indian skipper, who did not disappoint and hit the very next ball for a towering six.
The Delhi bowlers replied strongly to the onslaught by the openers by dismissing the duo in quick succession, Kagiso Rabada scalped the wicket off Parthiv while Axar Patel accounted for Kohli (23 off 17), who was caught by Rutherford in the deep.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals for RCB as their batsmen failed to make an impact. Patel took a stunning catch at the boundary to dismiss AB de Villiers (17 off 19) in the 12th over and South African Heinrich Klaasen (3) soon followed him into the dressing room.
Shivam Dube (24), who was dropped on 3, was then caught by Dhawan, eliciting the trade-mark thigh-slap celebration from the Indian opener.
RCB seemed to be leading towards victory when Marcus Stoinis (32 not out off 24)and Gurkeerat Singh (27 off 19) were in the middle of a blistering stand but the total proved to be too much in the end.
Earlier, half centuries by Dhawan and Iyer coupled with late cameos from Sherfane Rutherford and Axar Patel had powered Delhi to a strong total.
Keeping in mind the extremely dry nature of the wicket, Iyer opted to bat first.
The openers began the Delhi innings on a steady note. Dhawan sliced Umesh Yadav over cover point to hit the first boundary for his team. Shaw also hit four boundaries and looked in dangerous form but couldn't capitalise on his good start and perished for 18 in the fourth over with Yadav providing the first breakthrough for the visitors.
Skipper Iyer edged the first ball he faced to the boundary. His innings of 52 was laced with two fours and three sixes. On the other end, Dhawan continued hitting boundaries at regular intervals to the packed crowd's delight. The home team reached to 88/1 at the halfway mark. The duo shared a 68-run stand and looked to set a huge target.
However, there was a shift in momentum as Yuzvendra Chahal, who was the pick of the bowlers, dismissed Dhawan as he tried to reach out and sweep the ball in the 13th over. The spinner than dismissed danger man Rishabh Pant for 7 in his next over.
Delhi then lost wickets of Iyer and Colin Ingram (11) in quick succession. Delhi were struggling at 141 for 5 when Rutherford ( 28 off 13 balls) and Patel (16 off 9) walked in to share a 46-run partnership with 20 runs coming off the last over.
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Bhojshala complex registered as 'mosque' in old revenue records: Muslim side to MP HC
Indore (PTI): The disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex has historically been registered as a 'mosque' in revenue records and available sources don't clearly mention any Saraswati temple established by then-king Raja Bhoj, the Muslim side has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Muslim side calls the 11th-century monument Kamal Maula Mosque. The disputed complex located in Dhar district is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
During the hearing before the HC's Indore bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi on Wednesday, Qazi Moinuddin questioned two PILs filed as intervenors in the Bhojshala case by an organisation named Hindu Front for Justice, one Kuldeep Tiwari and another individual.
Moinuddin claims to be a descendant of Sufi saint Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti and the 'Sajjadanashin' (spiritual head, guru, or successor of a Sufi shrine, khanqah, or religious site).
The PILs state that Bhojshala is actually a Saraswati temple and only Hindus should be granted the right to worship at the disputed complex.
Moinuddin's lawyer, Noor Ahmed Sheikh, claimed in the court that his client's ancestors, who are descendants of Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti, have historically held titles to the complex, and the site was also recorded as a "mosque" in government revenue records.
He contended that those associated with the management of the Kamal Maula Mosque, located within the complex, have been in "continuous and peaceful occupation" of the site for a long time.
Citing Muslim law, Sheikh argued that in the case of religious property, particularly a mosque or its related properties, officials such as the Sajjadanashin and Mutawalli (person entrusted with management, maintenance, and administration of a Waqf), and their descendants, not only have the right to intervene, but also have the right to manage and use such a structure.
Citing provisions of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1904, the Muslim side's lawyer said the term "in-charge of the property" is used in this law, which makes it clear that the person or party who has been in charge of a property for a long time has rights over it.
During the hearing, Touseef Warsi, the lawyer representing the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society of Dhar, claimed that Hindu parties in both PILs had made "misleading representations" regarding historical facts before the high court.
He further claimed that available historical sources do not clearly mention the existence of a Saraswati temple established by Raja Bhoj, the legendary king of the Parmar dynasty who ruled Dhar from 1010 to 1055.
The ASI, a central government agency, has adopted three different positions in the lawsuits filed regarding the Bhojshala dispute, changing its answers from time to time, and this situation raises serious questions about judicial scrutiny of the complex, Warsi submitted.
He raised objections regarding the ASI's process of scientific survey of the Bhojshala complex, carried out on the HC order in 2024, and the method of videography and requested the court to examine these objections.
The hearing in the Bhojshala case will continue on Thursday.
The HC has been regularly hearing four petitions and one writ appeal since April 6, contesting the religious nature of the monument.
