JOIN USExplosive Delhi decimate Gujarat
Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson put up a stunning display of attacking strokeplay to spur Delhi Daredevils to seven-wicket victory over Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League(IPL) on Thursday.
During their second-wicket partnership of 143 off a mere 63 balls, the two made a mockery of Lions’ intimidating total of 209/7, that was built on the 133-run third-wicket partnership between Suresh Raina (77) and Dinesh Karthik (65).
The hosts lost their captain Karun Nair early, but Samson (61) and Pant (97) counter-attacked with purpose to give flight to the chase. The two destroyed the Lions’ bowling, dealing mostly in boundaries that included 16 sixes between them. In fact, the entire Daredevils innings comprised of 20 sixes.
Pant, in particular, was at his attacking best this night. Coming in at No. 3, he quickly took over from Samson, and it took him less than half an hour and 27 balls, to reach his half century. On a sultry night, the two rained fours and sixes, to keep Daredevils ahead. There was not a moment of lull during their presence and the duo had the audience constantly up on their feet. Such was their impact that as many as seven sixes flew to the stands between overs 9-11. Shot by shot, Pant and Samson put Daredevils on the brink of victory before departing in successive overs. Samson was caught at long off in the 14th over and in the next Pant endured a heartbreak moment. At 97, he edged Basil Thampi to wicket-keeper Karthik, and stood at the crease shattered. A pat of appreciation from Raina finally got him started on a slow walk to the dugout.
Shreyas Iyer and Corey Anderson then lent the finishing touches and kept up the Daredevils winning march, with 15 balls to spare.
Earlier, Lions thrived on Daredevils’ lapses in the field and ordinary fare from their bowlers. Raina was given a life twice -- on 2 and 40 -- and wrecked Daredevils’ bright start. With Karthik, he dismantled the Daredevils attack that had Lions on the backfoot at 10/2 in Kagiso Rabada’s opening over and third of the innings. Rabada’s first ball seamed away from good length to induce an edge from dangerous Brendon McCullum, and in the next Dwayne Smith was on his way back following a run out. Opportunity presented itself again in the last ball of the over, when Rabada’s short delivery had Raina miscuing the pull but Iyer fluffed a simple catch behind the wicket-keeper.
On a helpful surface, Raina with Karthik raised a century partnership to set the ball rolling for Lions. Following another reprieve, he reached his half century in 42 balls before being run out by Rabada in the 14th over. Karthik, who too had raised a fluent 50 by then, kept up the momentum, and it took a blinder from Anderson at mid-off to dismiss him in the 15th over. The rest of the Lions’ batting departed following brief cameos but ensured they crossed the 200-run mark. However, it turned out to be the day when Daredevils’ young brigade chose to announce itself.
Score board
GUJARAT LIONS: Dwayne Smith (run out) 9 (4b, 2x4), Brendon McCullum c Pant b Rabada 1 (3b), Suresh Raina (run out) 77 (43b, 5x4, 4x6), Dinesh Karthik c Anderson b Cummins 65 (34b, 5x4, 5x6), Aaron Finch c Pant b Rabada 27 (19b, 4x4), Ishan Kishan c Iyer b Cummins 4 (6b), Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 18 (7b, 2x6), James Faulkner c sub b Anderson 1 (3b), Pradeep Sangwan (not out) 1 (1b). Extras (LB-1, W-4) 5. Total (for 7 wkts; 20 overs) 208.
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (McCullum), 2-10 (Smith), 3-143 (Raina), 4-158 (Karthik), 5-178 (Kishan), 6-189 (Finch), 7-192 (Faulkner)
Bowling: Shahbaz Nadeem 2-0-28-0, Kagiso Rabada 4-0-28-2, Pat Cummins 4-0-30-2, Mohammad Shami 3-0-40-0, Amit Mishra 2-0-23-0, Marlon Samuels 2-0-22-0, Corey Anderson 3-0-36-1.
DELHI DAREDEVILS: Sanju Samson c Faulkner b Jadeja 61 (31b, 7x6), Karun Nair c Karthik b Sangwan 12 (11b, 2x4), Rishabh Pant c Karthik b Thampi 97 (43b, 6x4, 9x6), Shreyas Iyer (not out) 14 (8b, 2x6), Corey Anderson (not out) 18 (12b, 2x6). Extras (B-1, LB-6, W-5) 12. Total (for 3 wkts; 17.3 overs) 214.
Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Nair), 2-167 (Samson), 3-179 (Pant).
Bowling: Pradeep Sangwan 4-0-43-1 (w-1), Basil Thampi 4-0-40-1 (w-3), James Faulkner 2.3-0-35-0 (w-1), Suresh Raina 2-0-24-0, Ankit Soni 2-0-26-0, Ravindra Jadeja 2-0-28-1, Dwayne Smith 1-0-11-0.