Published: May 14, 2017, 09:46 PM (IST)
Edited: May 14, 2017, 10:17 PM (IST)
Delhi Daredevils (DD) took on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017. Winning the toss Virat Kohli had no hesitation in batting first in a playing XI that had only three foreign players. With pride on stake both Chris Gayle and Kohli came to Royal Challengers Bangalore’s rescue stitching a valuable 66-run stand for the second wicket. For Delhi Daredevils it was some smart bowling on part of Zaheer Khan, Pat Cummins and Shabaaz Nadeem. Royal Challengers Bangalore finished on 161 for 6 with Shane Watson and Pawan Negi unbeaten on 4 and 13 respectively. Full Cricket Scorecard: Delhi Daredevils (DD) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), IPL 2017, Match 56 at Delhi
Chris Gayle along with his new opening partner Vishnu Vinod came out in the middle. Gayle unlike his many failures in this edition got his team off to a quick start. On the other hand, Vishnu struggled in the stand of 30 runs. Cummins who came in for this match cleaned up Vishnu in his first over for 3.
Kohli came out to bat at No.3 with Gayle going all guns blazing. Kohli who started slowly survived a near head on collision with Gayle while running a quick two. Kohli along with Gayle snitched up a 50-run stand (41 balls) that included brute and finesse. The pair stepped up against Amit Mishra. Mishra in particular was guilty of providing half trackers. He was taken for 19 in his second over.
As usual the break in momentum became RCB’s downfall. Gayle looking to get to his fifty ended up giving Zaheer Khan a simple catch for a 38-ball 48 off Shahbaz Nadeem. The pair added 66 runs in 8.2 overs.
Nadeem almost had Travis Head for a first ball duck but he was not lucky enough. The ball missed the stumps by inches. But sadly his stay in the middle did not last long as Head was run out of a quick two call by Kohli. Kedar Jadhav came out in the middle to support Kohli.
Kohli soon reached his 31st half-century in 39 balls; his 7th against DD. Kohli was later dropped on 52 after Zaheer spilled a caught and bowled chance in the 17th over. Thankfully for DD and Zaheer that drop did not cost much as Kohli holed out to long on for a 45-ball 58.
Jadhav meanwhile, continued his onslaught from the other hand but no before he became victim to Pat Cummins’s brilliance. Going for a cheeky single, Jadhav showed no urgency while running which saw get run out to a bullet-like throw by Cummins. Quite untruthfully Shane Watson below Sachin Baby at No.7.
Baby could not do much in the middle going for 12. Baby trying to go for the glory shot against Cummins gave Corey Anderson a dolly at long-off for 12.
Anderson who hardly bowled his full quota of 4 overs, gave away 16 runs in the final over.
Brief Scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 161 for 6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 58 , Chris Gayle 48; Pat Cummins 2 for 21 ) vs Delhi Daredevils.
