Young guns combine to help Daredevils ‘cross the line’ : An unbeaten 72* runs partnership in 8.2 overs for the fourth-wicket between the young guns, Sanju Samson (34*, 26b, 2*6)) and Rishabh Pant (39*, 26b, 2*4, 3*6) enabled Delhi Daredevils (DD) register their sixth win in 10 games against Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad. This win also helped DD keep themselves in contention for a place in the ‘play-offs’.
Put into bat by the visitors, SRH struggled to stay afloat, losing their skipper-opener, David Warner (46) in the 9th over at the team score of 67 runs. Warner, who has been performing well throughout the tournament and leading from the front, failed to reach the landmark of half-century, when the penultimate delivery of the 9th over, bowled by Jayant Yadav, spun just enough to beat the bat of Warner and clattered on to the middle and leg stump. Warner’s 46 runs came in 30 balls studded with 6 fours and a six.
The wily leggie, Amit Mishra, then accounted for Shikhar Dhawan (34) and Yuvraj Singh (8) within a spate of 12 deliveries and pushed SRH to a situation of 113 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 15 overs.
With just 5 more overs remaining in the innings, Kane Williamson was holding on to one end but succumbed to a low full toss from Chris Morris that moved back substantially in the air to sneak past the batsman’s inside edge and crashing on to the stumps. Williamson scored 27 runs in 24 balls with 3 fours.
The team score was 137 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 18.3 overs.
SRH innings folded up with 146 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
For DD, Amit Mishra (3-0-19-2) and Coulter-Nile (4-0-25-2) were the successful bowlers.
Chasing 147 runs was no big deal for DD as their wicker-keeper-opener, Quinton de Kock gave a great start. After losing his opening partner, Mayank Agrawal (10), with just 20 runs on the board, de Kock alongwith Karun Nair (20), added 55 runs in 6.1 overs for the second wicket and took the team score to 75 runs in 9.2 overs.
Three runs later, after scoring 44 runs off 31 deliveries with 5 fours and 2 sixes, de Kock departed.
Thereafter the youngsters, Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant ensured there were no further hiccups and ensured a win for the team scoring 150 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 18.1 overs.
DD won the match by 7 wickets with 11 deliveries to spare.
Chris Morris was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, he said, “Good day for us, eh? Guys tuned up ready to play a game of cricket. I ve got a job in the tea, to bowl fast and restrict the runs. Happy to contribute today. Bowlers doing well in this format is always pleasing.”
David Warner, skipper, SRH said, “20-30 runs short. Bowler hit a good length, hit the hard length. Our batters did not get the job done today. If we get bogged down a little bit, we are behind the 8-ball all the time.”
JP Duminy, who led DD in the absence of Zaheer Khan said, “Back part of our bowling innings, we did exceptionally well. Always banking on them to strike for us, collective bowling performance. Guys have been responding well, understanding the XI. Youngsters have been performing, they have been responding well in pressure moments.”
