IPL 2012: Bowlers bowled brilliantly against KKR: Virender Sehwag

Morne Morkel scalped three wickets while Umesh Yadav and Roelof van der Merwe bagged two wickets apiece to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 97 for nine in the rain-curtailed 12 overs-a-side match © AFP

Kolkata: Apr 6, 2012

Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag said his bowlers, led by South African Morne Morkel, set the platform for the comfortable win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match of IPL V on Thursday.

Morkel scalped three wickets for 18 runs, while Umesh Yadav and Roelof van der Merwe bagged two wickets apiece to restrict the Knight Riders to 97 for nine in the rain-curtailed 12 overs-a-side match.

“Boys did very well, bowlers bowled brilliantly after we won the toss. We also fielded very well,” Sehwag said after the comprehensive eight-wicket win at the Eden Gardens.

He also lauded Aaron Finch, who scored a 27-ball 30 at the top of the order.

“Aaron Finch outscored me, he played very well,” Sehwag said.

Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir said Morkel and Irfan Pathan, who scored a brisk unbeaten 42 to guide Daredevils’ run chase, turned out to be the difference between the two sides.

“The way Morne bowled, he bowled some quality stuff. The total we had was a quality total in the end, but they batted well. (Irfan) Pathan was excellent with his batting,” he said.

After his exploits with the bat today, man-of-the-match Irfan said he is expecting to come good with the ball too in the coming matches of the tournament.

“I am now looking forward to take more and more wickets with the ball,” he said. (PTI)