Port Elizabeth, April 26: Bangalore Royal Challengers suffered their fourth defeat on the trot as Tillakaratne Dilshan (67 not out) struck his second successive half-century to guide Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket win in their IPL match here today.
With this win, Delhi Daredevils are now level with Hyderabad Deccan Chargers at top of the table with both the teams having won all their three matches.
Daredevils rode on a flamboyant 47-ball 67 from Dilshan while Mithun Manhas (23), playing his first match of the tournament, made a useful contribution down the order to chase down Royal Challengers’ 149 for seven with four balls to spare.
Daredevils were in a spot of bother needing 43 from the last four overs. But the 17th over from Jacques Kallis fetched Daredevils 19 runs which included a dropped catch from Robin Uthhapa and the Delhi team were heading towards the victory.
Dilshan remained unbeaten as he clobbered five fours and a couple of sixes while Manhas played with urgency to strike 23 off just 13 balls.
For the Royal Challengers, Pankaj Singh grabbed the prized scalps of Gautam Gambhir (16) and Virender Sehwag (7) while left-arm spinner KP Appanna picked up de Villiers with a well flighted ball.
The famed opening pair of Sehwag and Gambhir once again failed to fire as the Daredevils’ captain was out in the dug out in just the second over.
However, last match’s centurian AB de Villiers (21) and Dilshan stitched a useful partnership of 42 runs and then a crucial inbroken fifth wicket stand of 44 sealed the fate of Daredevils.
Earlier, after electing to bat first, Royal Challengers were off to a horrendous start, which saw openers Kallis and Utthappa back in the hut in just the second over of the match, Bangalore Royal Challengers’ captain Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor put in 62 runs for the third wicket.
Kallis was out on the first ball of the innings off Dirk Nannes while Utthappa’s miserable form continued and was out to Ashish Nehra from just three runs.
Pietersen, who just has one more match to play in the IPL before he returns home, was looking good as he started to play his usual strokes which were lacking in the earlier matches.
The former England captain had put the paddle on the accelerator and was looking dangerous to take the game away from the Daredevils.
Pietersen struck a couple of boundaries and sixes to race to 25-ball 37 before he opted to play a switch hit off Daniel Vettori only to see his stumps rattled.
Till the time his captain was around, Taylor preferred to play a second fiddle to Pietersen but soon after Pietersen was out Kiwi batsman also followed him when he was trapped leg before off Amit Mishra.
Mishra was certainly the most dangerous of the lot as the leg-spinner, playing his first match of the season, was turning the ball big and the batsmen found difficult to negotiate him.
The leggie returned with figures of one for 19 off his four overs.
However, South African recruit Mark Boucher, who was drafted into the side due to Rahul Dravid’s absence, commbined with Virat Kohli (22) to provide Challengers the momentum it required.
Boucher played a valuable knock of 36 off 28 balls which included a couple of sixes in the second last over of the innings bowled by Pradeep Sangwan.
But the left-armer had the last laugh as he dismissed Boucher off the last ball of his quota to return with figures of one for 32 off four overs.
Nannes and Vettori too grabbed a wicket each while Nehra had two wickets to his name. (Agencies)
With this win, Delhi Daredevils are now level with Hyderabad Deccan Chargers at top of the table with both the teams having won all their three matches.
Daredevils rode on a flamboyant 47-ball 67 from Dilshan while Mithun Manhas (23), playing his first match of the tournament, made a useful contribution down the order to chase down Royal Challengers’ 149 for seven with four balls to spare.
Daredevils were in a spot of bother needing 43 from the last four overs. But the 17th over from Jacques Kallis fetched Daredevils 19 runs which included a dropped catch from Robin Uthhapa and the Delhi team were heading towards the victory.
Dilshan remained unbeaten as he clobbered five fours and a couple of sixes while Manhas played with urgency to strike 23 off just 13 balls.
For the Royal Challengers, Pankaj Singh grabbed the prized scalps of Gautam Gambhir (16) and Virender Sehwag (7) while left-arm spinner KP Appanna picked up de Villiers with a well flighted ball.
The famed opening pair of Sehwag and Gambhir once again failed to fire as the Daredevils’ captain was out in the dug out in just the second over.
However, last match’s centurian AB de Villiers (21) and Dilshan stitched a useful partnership of 42 runs and then a crucial inbroken fifth wicket stand of 44 sealed the fate of Daredevils.
Earlier, after electing to bat first, Royal Challengers were off to a horrendous start, which saw openers Kallis and Utthappa back in the hut in just the second over of the match, Bangalore Royal Challengers’ captain Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor put in 62 runs for the third wicket.
Kallis was out on the first ball of the innings off Dirk Nannes while Utthappa’s miserable form continued and was out to Ashish Nehra from just three runs.
Pietersen, who just has one more match to play in the IPL before he returns home, was looking good as he started to play his usual strokes which were lacking in the earlier matches.
The former England captain had put the paddle on the accelerator and was looking dangerous to take the game away from the Daredevils.
Pietersen struck a couple of boundaries and sixes to race to 25-ball 37 before he opted to play a switch hit off Daniel Vettori only to see his stumps rattled.
Till the time his captain was around, Taylor preferred to play a second fiddle to Pietersen but soon after Pietersen was out Kiwi batsman also followed him when he was trapped leg before off Amit Mishra.
Mishra was certainly the most dangerous of the lot as the leg-spinner, playing his first match of the season, was turning the ball big and the batsmen found difficult to negotiate him.
The leggie returned with figures of one for 19 off his four overs.
However, South African recruit Mark Boucher, who was drafted into the side due to Rahul Dravid’s absence, commbined with Virat Kohli (22) to provide Challengers the momentum it required.
Boucher played a valuable knock of 36 off 28 balls which included a couple of sixes in the second last over of the innings bowled by Pradeep Sangwan.
But the left-armer had the last laugh as he dismissed Boucher off the last ball of his quota to return with figures of one for 32 off four overs.
Nannes and Vettori too grabbed a wicket each while Nehra had two wickets to his name. (Agencies)
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