Delhi survives Rashid's onslaught to beat Gujarat by 4 runs in IPL

NEW DELHI (AP) — Delhi Capitals survived Rashid Khan’s onslaught in the last over to register an exhilarating four-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Needing 19 off fast bowler Mukesh Kumar’s final six balls, Rashid (21 not out) clubbed back-to-back boundaries off the first two balls and then a six off the penultimate ball before Gujarat finished at 220-8 in yet another high-scoring thriller in IPL this season.

Captain Rishabh Pant, returning to competitive cricket after his car accident in late December, staked his T20 World Cup claims with a robust unbeaten 88 off 43 balls which propelled Delhi to 224-4 after Gujarat won the toss and chose to field first.

Pant provided a perfect finish to Delhi’s innings when he smashed Mohit Sharma for 31 runs in the last over as the Gujarat fast bowler registered most expensive bowling figures in IPL history with 0-73.

Tristan Stubbs scored a rapid 26 off seven balls and Delhi’s 53 runs off the final two overs were also the most scored by a team in the IPL off the last 12 balls of the innings.

Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill (6) sliced a catch at mid-off off Anrich Nortje’s third ball and got dismissed cheaply in his 100th IPL game before impact player Sai Sudharsan (65) and Wriddhiman Saha (39) brought the chase back on track with a 82-run second-wicket stand.

Delhi came back through spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2-29) and Axar Patel (1-28) in the middle overs before David Miller (55) hit a 21-ball half-century and swung the momentum in Gujarat’s favor.

Miller, who hit three sixes and six boundaries, holed out in the 18th over but Rashid, who escaped a dropped catch before he had scored, countercharged in the last over but just fell short to get Gujarat over the line.

Earlier, Axar Patel’s (66) elevation to No. 3 proved a perfect ploy for Delhi after fast bowler Sandeep Warrier (3-15) had struck thrice in the batting power play and restricted them to 44-3.

Patel and Pant shared 113-run fourth-wicket stand before Patel holed out at long-on after scoring his personal best in the IPL that featured four sixes and five boundaries.

Stubbs then clubbed two sixes and two boundaries off Sai Kishore’s 22-run penultimate over before Pant provided a perfect finish against Sharma in the final over.

Delhi rose to No. 6 with its fourth win in nine games, while Gujarat slipped to No. 7 on inferior net run-rate after losing its fifth game in nine matches.

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Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Delhi Capitals' Anrich Nortje, right, celebrates with teammate Shai Hope the wicket of Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Delhi Capitals' Kuldeep Yadav, second right, celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans' Rahul Tewatia during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill, left, congratulates Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant after Delhi Capitals won their match against Gujarat Titans during the Indian Premier League cricket match in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Gujarat Titans' Sai Kishore is bowled out by Delhi Capitals' Rasikh Dar Salam during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Gujarat Titans' David Miller bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Gujarat Titans' Rashid Khan plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant, left, is congratulated by teammate Tristan Stubbs for his big hitting in the last over of Gujarat Titans' Mohit Sharma, right, during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Delhi Capitals' Tristan Stubbs plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Pankaj Nangia)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tens of thousands of investors once again descended on an Omaha, Nebraska, arena Saturday to vacuum up tidbits of wisdom from billionaire Warren Buffett. But a key ingredient will be missing from his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders’ meeting: It's the first since Vice Chairman Charlie Munger died.

“He was the sriracha sauce in the Berkshire Hathaway meeting," said investor Bill Smead, a regular at the event for 14 years. "He gave it a lot of flavor.”

For decades, Munger shared the stage with Buffett every year for the marathon question and answer session that is the event's centerpiece. Munger routinely let Buffett take the lead with expansive responses that went on for several minutes. Then Munger himself would cut directly to the point. He is remembered for calling cryptocurrencies stupid, telling people to “marry the best person that will have you” and comparing many unproven internet businesses in 2000 to “turds.”

He and Buffett functioned as a classic comedy duo, with Buffett offering lengthy setups to Munger's witty one-liners. Together, they transformed Berkshire from a floundering textile mill into a massive conglomerate made up of a variety of interests, from insurance companies such as Geico to BNSF railroad to several major utilities and an assortment of other companies.

Saturday is set to kick off with the company releasing its first quarter earnings a couple of hours before the meeting. In addition to its biggest interests, Berkshire Hathaway owns a vast collection of manufacturing and retail businesses, including Dairy Queen and See’s Candy. Its massive stock portfolio is anchored by huge stakes in companies including Apple, American Express and Coca-Cola.

Munger often summed up the key Berkshire’s success as “trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.” He and Buffett also were known for sticking to businesses they understood well.

“Warren always did at least 80% of the talking. But Charlie was a great foil,” said Stansberry Research analyst Whitney Tilson, who was looking forward to his 27th consecutive meeting with a bit of a heavy heart because of Munger's absence.

That absence, however, may well create space for shareholders to get to know better the two executives who directly oversee Berkshire's companies: Ajit Jain, who manages the insurance units, and Greg Abel, who handles everything else. Abel will one day replace the 93-year-old Buffett as CEO.

Morningstar analyst Greggory Warren said he hopes Abel will speak up more this year and let shareholders see some of the brilliance Berkshire executives talk about. Ever since Munger let it slip at the annual meeting three years ago that Abel would be the successor, Buffett has repeatedly reassured investors that he's confident in the pick.

Experts say the company has a solid culture built on integrity, trust, independence and an impressive management roster ready to take over.

“Greg's a rock star,” said Chris Bloomstran, president of Semper Augustus Investments Group. "The bench is deep. He won’t have the same humor at the meeting. But I think we all come here to get a reminder every year to be rational.”

For more AP coverage of Warren Buffett look here: https://apnews.com/hub/warren-buffett. For Berkshire Hathaway news, see here: https://apnews.com/hub/berkshire-hathaway-inc. Follow Josh Funk online at https://www.twitter.com/funkwrite and https://www.linkedin.com/in/funkwrite.

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses with shareholders Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel is set to be the next CEO after Warren Buffett is gone. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders watch a model BNSF train run past a model town filled with other Berkshire companies Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Buffett will spend hours answering questions at a meeting Saturday. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders line up to take selfies with Greg Abel Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will one day replace Warren Buffett as CEO. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway investment manager Ted Weschler, center, talks with Brooks Running CEO Dan Sheridan, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb., one day ahead of the annual shareholders meeting. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders pose with a cutout poster of CEO Warren Buffett, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb., one day ahead of the annual shareholders meeting. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses for pictures with shareholders while touring the booths Berkshires companies set up, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel checks out the flight simulators offered by one of Berkshires companies, Flight Safety as he toured the exhibit hall Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. ahead of Saturday's meeting. Abel is set to succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)