Daredevils ride on team-work to sink Sunrisers

Delhi snap five-match losing streak

 After five straight defeats, Delhi Daredevils finally got the taste of victory. Against expectations, the hosts not only conjured a six-wicket victory over defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad but also kept themselves alive in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday. 

Put in, Sunrisers, propped by an unbeaten 93-run fourth-wicket stand between Yuvraj Singh (70 not out) and Moises Henriques (25 not out) put up a formidable 185/3 in 20 overs. In reply, Daredevils put together a confident performance for their third victory of the season and reached the target with five balls to spare.

Sanju Samson (24) and Karun Nair (39) provided Daredevils a flying start with their 40-run opening stand. Samson holed out at short cover in the fifth over, but Nair, who was dropped by Bhuvneshwar Kumar at fine leg on 20, continued unfettered. After a longish spell, the Daredevils stand-in captain had regained his flair, and played a key role in collecting 62 runs during the first six overs. However, the Karnataka batsman perished in the eighth over when going after a wide Sidharth Kaur delivery and this time Bhuvneshwar, at long off, made no mistake. Still, with his highest score this season, Nair had set the tone of Daredevils’ chase.

With an equally attacking Rishabh Pant, promoted to No 3, and Shreyas Iyer taking over, the runs came rapidly for the hosts. And though Pant became the second victim of Mohammad Siraj, completely outdone by his toe-crushing yorker, it brought no relief for the Sunrisers. Iyer and Corey Anderson (41 n.o.) seamlessly continued the assault in another brisk partnership. Iyer departed in the 16th over and Chris Morris comfortably saw the Daredevils through with Anderson.

Earlier, David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan put together a strokeful display in the powerplay overs. Warner, fresh from a century, made effective use of reverse sweep and Dhawan flicked his way to glean 53 runs runs during the powerplay before Mohammad Shami separated the two. Shami, introduced in the sixth over, knocked Warner’s off-stump with a searing yorker, and three overs later Dhawan was on his way out after top-edging Amit Mishra’s googly.

Their quick departures pegged back Sunrisers’ march with Daredevils bowling fuller lengths in the middle overs. Kane Williamson and Yuvraj Singh took their time to get the measure of the conditions on a two-paced pitch but Shami returned in the 12th over to pack off the New Zealand captain. Williamson couldn’t time his pull and Daredevils found themselves on top of the contest.

It was then Yuvraj, who had made a slow start, decided to cut loose. With Henriques for company, Yuvraj gradually stepped up before tearing apart the Daredevils attack. He was dropped on 29 by Samson at deep-square boundary and he made Daredevils pay dearly for the slip. What followed in the last three overs was sheer carnage. As Daredevils attack erred in lengths, Yuvraj not only raised his 25th IPL fifty with a mighty pull to the fence, but ensured the last three overs cost the hosts 52 runs.

Daredevils, shot out for a mere 67 runs in their previous contest, however, had a surprise in store. It was a determined batting display by the hosts, who are banking on their home stretch to revive their sinking campaign.

Score board

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD: David Warner b Shami 30 (21b, 4x4,1x6), Shikhar Dhawan c Iyer b Mishra 28 (17b, 4x4, 1x6), Kane Williamson c Morris b Shami 24 (24b, 1x4, 1x6) Yuvraj Singh (not out) 70 (41b, 11x4, 1x6), Moises Henriques (not out) 25 (18b, 2x4, 1x6). Extras (LB-5, W-2, Nb-1) 8. Total (for 3 wickets, 20 overs) 185.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Warner) 2-75 (Dhawan), 3-92 (Williamson).
Bowling: Jayant Yadav 4-0-26-0, Kagiso Rabada 4-0-59-0 (nb-1), Chris Morris 4-0-36-0, Mohammad Shami 4-0-36-2 (w-1), Amit Mishra 4-0-23-1 (w-1)

DELHI DAREDEVILS: Sanju Samson c Dhawan b Siraj 24 (19b, 2x4, 1x6), Karun Nair c Bhuvneshwar b Kaul 39 (20b, 5x4, 2x6), Rishabh Pant b Siraj 34 (20b, 4x4, 1x6), Shreyas Iyer c Siraj b Bhuvneshwar 33 (25b, 1x4, 2x6), Corey Anderson (not out) 41 (24b, 2x4, 3x6), Chris Morris (not out) 15 (7b, 1x4, 1x6).  Extras (LB-1, W-2) 3. Total (for 4 wickets, 19.1 overs) 189.

Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Samson), 2-72 (Nair), 3-109 (Pant), 4-148 (Iyer).
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-33-1, Mohammad Siraj 4-0-41-2, Siddharth Kaul 4-0-38-1 (w-1), Moises Henriques 2.1-0-36-0 (w-1), Rashid Khan 4-0-24-0, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-16-0.