Delhi Capitals (DC) outclassed former champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 44 runs in their IPL-15 encounter at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. It was a fine team effort, first by the Delhi batsmen, particularly openers Prithvi Shaw (51 off 29, 7x4, 2x6) and David Warner (61 off 45, 6x4, 2x6) and then by their bowling unit led by left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-35) and pacer Khaleel Ahmed (3-25).
Though it was a good batting track, chasing DC’s 215-5 was always going to be a daunting task for KKR against the likes of Khaleel and the in-form Kuldeep. They lost both openers Ajinkya Rahane (8) and Venkatesh Iyer (18) in the Powerplay, dismissed by left-arm pacer Khaleel. Skipper Shreyas Iyer’s blistering 33-ball 54 (5x4, 2x6) came to an end when he was beaten by Kuldeep’s googly and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant completed a quick stumping.
Shreyas Iyer
At one stage KKR needed 98 off 42 balls and with Andre Russell (24) and Sam Billings (15) at the crease. It seemed achievable. However, some tight bowling by DC saw KKR need as many as 50 runs off pacer Shardul Thakur’s (2-30) last six balls of the game. They were eventually bundled out for 171 in 19.4 overs.
Earlier, DC opener Shaw scored his second successive half-century in this IPL. He seemed to be in a destructive mood, smashing six fours and a six off the first 20 balls he faced. Even a mistimed pull shot off pacer Umesh Yadav (1-48) went for a six.
DC captain Shreyas admitted that he was not sure where to place his fielders for his Mumbai Ranji Trophy teammate. “Prithvi is a batsman who can change the whole Powerplay. When he played some shots off good balls, being a captain, I didn’t know where we should set the field for him,” Shreyas said at the post-match virtual press conference.
Meanwhile, all-rounder Thakur had a good outing with the bat too (11-ball 29 not out, 1x4, 3x6). Thakur, who was promoted ahead of Sarfaraz Khan at No.7, made full use of Umesh’s 19 over. He dispatched the first delivery, a short-pitched one, straight into the West Stand. He then gave the same treatment to Umesh’s third delivery, a fuller ball, sending it over the long-off boundary. When asked which performance gave him more satisfaction—batting or bowling, he said: “In T20 cricket it’s always the impact that matters. Wherever I create such an impact, whether it’s bowling, fielding or batting, I’m happy.”
Brief scores
DC 215-5 in 20 overs (D Warner 61, P Shaw 51; S Narine 2-21) beat KKR 171 in 19.4 overs (S Iyer 54; K Yadav 4-35, K Ahmed 3-25) by 44 runs
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