Uttar 1 The courageous batting of openers Prithvi Shaw and David Warner created the framework for the Delhi Capitals’ 44-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Sunday.KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer’s decision to put Delhi Capitals in on a batting belter backfired as they racked up 215 for five thanks to half-centuries from Shaw (51 off 29 balls) and Warner (50 off 32 balls) (61 off 45 balls).
In reply, Kolkata knight Rider was bowled out for 171 in 19.4 overs, and it was left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s night at the Brabourne Stadium, as he exacted sweet revenge against a team that didn’t treat him well during his time with them, as his career came to an end.
The pressure on the scoreboard was always evident. Kuldeep (4/35 in 4 overs) turned the game decisively in their favor with a left-arm wrist spinner’s googly that perplexed the opposing captain Shreyas Iyer (54 off 33 balls). As he moved down the track, Iyer had no idea that the ball had turned away after he had pitched.
After a Kuldeep leg-break terminated his stay, he didn’t play a wild inning, but he did take a brilliant skier off his bowling to round off a fantastic evening under the lights. Khaleel Ahmed (3/325 in 4 overs) bowled swiftly and sharply at the start, but Andre Russell (24 off 21 balls) had too much to do with too little time remaining in the finish, and Delhi Capitals won by one wicket.
Delhi Capitals struggled through a weak middle-order performance to reach a comfortable 215 for 5. Shaw, Warner, and Delhi Capitals feasted on a fine bowling attack at the start, before DC battled through a poor middle-order performance to reach a comfortable 215 for 5.
If Shaw-Warner set the tone with his 93, Shardul Thakur (29 not out off 11 balls) and Axar Patel (22 off 14 balls) put the finishing touches on the innings with 49 in 3.2 overs. Warner and Shaw were up against one of the most dangerous pace assaults of the season, but they had the finest batting track on their side.
Anyone who wanted to hit through the line had enough bounce on the surface. There was a layer of green on the surface, but it was mostly for grasping. Warner blasted two boundaries over cover off Pat Cummins (0/51 in 4 overs), while Umesh Yadav (1/48 in 4 overs) took 50 in four overs.
It’s unusual to hit 10 fours and two sixes in a powerplay, and Iyer looked befuddled.
Shaw pulled Cummins for six, while Warner slog-swept Varun Chakravarthy (1/44 in 4 overs) for a six-over mid-wicket. After pacers were brutally punished first up, both spinners were inserted into the powerplay, and Sunil Narine (2/21) was reverse swept.
Shaw’s defense broke down to give his team the early lead, but Pant (27 off 14 balls), who had been promoted to the top of the order, didn’t let the momentum slide away, as he and Warner added 55 in just 4.1 overs. Pant continued to be daring, hitting those falling reverse sweeps off-spinners and a straight six off Cummins.
Before Pant was dismissed by a slower delivery by the Jamaican all-rounder, Warner completed his first half-century of this edition with a six-off Russell.
Warner’s strokes lacked a bit of bite when Pant was dismissed, and Narine was quite calm as he gradually dragged KKR back into the game by dismissing Lalit Yadav and Rovman Powell in quick succession.
It was left to Axar and Shardul to show their batting prowess that helped DC reach a par score on this track.
Meanwhile, Kolkata captain Shreyas Iyer claims that Delhi got off to a terrific start and that his team was a little naive at the moment.
He mentions how they maintained their momentum and how difficult it was to halt them. It was a strong batting pitch, and they elected to bowl because they had won their three chasing games.Â
They showed intent right from the start, but it wasn’t a good start for them.
