Challengers prevail over Daredevils
edar Jadhav’s halfcentury and brilliant bowling in the end enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Delhi Daredevils by 15 runs in the Indian Premier League clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium yesterday.
Needing 158 to win, Delhi Daredevils looked on course to victory with Rishabh Pant (57) scoring a gritty half century.
But the fall of his wicket in the first ball of the final over meant Delhi Daredevils failed to achieve the 19 required off six balls to hand the hosts a 15-run victory.
Electing to bat, Bangalore scored 157 for 8 thanks to Jadav’s fighting 69. Earlier Bangalore never got really going despite skipper Shane Watson hitting a run-a-ball 24 after losing dashing opener Chris Gayle and Mandeep Singh to low scores.
But Jadhav and former India all-rounder Stuart Binny joined hands to string together a 66run partnership for the fourth wicket in 6.2 overs to put the Royal Challengers on road to a respectable total. Once Jadhav was dismissed for 69 off the last ball of the 17th over, Bangalore batsmen could not get the scoreboard moving and added just 15 runs in three overs. Delhi skipper Zaheer Khan and Chris Morris led the attack with two and three wickets respectively.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir said if Chris Lynn can keep batting the way he did against Gujarat Lions, it will take the pressure off other batsmen in the team. Lynn smacked 93 off just 41 balls at a strike rate of 226.82. The Australian’s innings was laced with eight sixes and six fours as KKR marauded to a 10-wicket win over the Lions in the latter’s own backyard chasing 184 for victory. Gambhir scored 76 off 48 deliveries as the duo’s heroics became IPL’s highest opening run stand.
“We know what he (Chris Lynn) can do when he is on song,” Gambhir said at the post match presentation ceremony.
Carry on the momentum
“We have to give him a longer run. If this is the way he bats, it takes a lot of pressure off the batting line up. Hopefully he can continue his form like this and keep smacking it.Lynn can take on any fast bowler in the world right now. Hopefully rest of us can play around him,” Gambhir said.
The skipper lauded his bowlers too for restricting a top-heavy Lions batting line up to 183/4 on a pitch that offered little to the bowlers. “I would like to give a lot of credit to the bowlers. This was a 200 wicket, so restricting a batting line up like Gujarat to 183 is commendable.” Lynn said he would like to continue the momentum,
Royal Challengers Bangalore bt Delhi Daredevils by 15 runs.
RCB: 157/8 in 20 overs (Shane Watson 24, Kedar Jadhav 69, Stuart Binny 16; Chris Morris 3/21, Zaheer Khan 2/31). DD: 142/9 in 20 overs (Aditya Tare 18, Sam Billings 25, Rishabh Pant 57; Billy Stanlake 2/29, Iqbal Abdulla 2/36). adding he likes the opening slot as the ball comes on to the bat. “If I can continue this momentum, it will be good for the team. I like the ball coming on (to the bat) and I am used to that. So I am happy,” he said.
Losing skipper Suresh Raina, who played well for his unbeaten knock of 68, underlined they have to improve their bowling which lacked teeth on the night to say the least, adding Ravindra Jadeja was sorely missed.
“We need to get better in our bowling department. They played really good cricket shots. We need to learn from here.”