Follow UsSameer Rizvi finally translated the promise and potential that everybody was hyping him for into a performance. He hit a match-winning 58* off 25 balls, his maiden half century in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as the Delhi Capitals (DC) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 24 (Saturday).
Rizvi's fifty, which came in just 22 balls, was the joint-fastest by a DC player in IPL 2025 as he equalled Karun Nair's effort of a 22-ball half-century, which he had hit against Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this season.
Rizvi, who was criticised for his batting throughout IPL 2025, with scores of 39 (35), 20 (15) and 4 (4), finally came good for Delhi in a non-consequential game. Chasing 207 to win, Rizvi joined when Delhi were 93/3 with Nair at the other end.
The duo added 62 off just 29 balls and took the Capitals closer to the target. Even after losing Nair for 44, Rizvi, who was batting on 24 off 12, did not flinch and kept going hard at the Punjab bowlers. In the next 13 balls, he hit 33 runs, including the six to get to take DC over the line.
In his knock of 58, Rizvi hit three fours and five sixes, justifying the hype of him being a serial 'six hitter', which he got after he hit a double century in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2024-25.