 Daredevils survive middle order collapse to beat Royal Challengers
20th May 2008 09:01 IST
Agencies
A typical Virender Sehwag (47) blistering knock and his 90-run first wicket stand with Gautam Gambhir (39) helped Delhi Daredevils survived a middle order collapse to coast to a 5-wicket win over Bangalore Royal Challengers in an absorbing Indian Premier League tie in Bangalore Monday night.
Chasing 155 for a crucial victory, the Daredevils rode on Sehwag and Gambhir's rollicking start to reach 158/5 with 10 balls to spare to notch up their sixth win from 12 matches and kept them in the reckoning for a semi-final berth.
Sehwag and Gambhir, who faced only 41 balls for their 90-run stand, were cautious for the first two overs but began raining fours and sixes after that with Gambhir, IPL's top run getter, punishing Dale Steyn and his captain doing the same to Zaheer Khan.
After the second over, the IPL's top two run getters got at least two fours in an over before Sehwag was out courtesy a brilliant catch by Bharat Chipli in the seventh over after hitting Praveen Kumar for three fours and a six in that over.
Gambhir did not last long and was run out two overs later for a well-made 39 (31 balls, 6X4) trying to steal a second run but failing to beat Cameron White and Goswami combine.
Needing just five runs an over after the 10th over, the visitors were cruising along nicely before the home team plotted a middle order collapse.
From 121/2 in the 14th over, the Delhi side lost three quick wickets in a space of 11 balls for just 11 runs. Tillakaratne Dilshan (4), AB de Villiers (21) and Dinesh Karthik (6) were the batsmen sent back to the dugout.
Cool-headed Shikhar Dhawan (16 not out) and Farveez Maharoof (13 not out), however, held on to their nerves to secure their team?s win and hand Rahul Dravid's side their ninth loss in the tournament, their fifth on the trot.
It was Dhawan?s huge six off Balachandra Akhil that sealed the Daredevils? five-wicket win.
For the home team, Anil Kumble was the most successful bowler, claiming 2/18, while Steyn and Kumar claimed a wicket apiece.
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