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Untitled Document
 Watson pilots Rajasthan Royals into IPL final
31st May 2008 10:00 IST
Agencies
Riding on a brilliant all-round display by Shane Watson, the ruthless Rajasthan Royals crushed Delhi Daredevils by 105 runs in a lop-sided semifinal to storm into the final of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai Friday night.
Watson powered his way to a 29-ball 52 with three sixes and four fours in his team's challenging total of 192/9 after league table toppers Rajasthan Royals were asked to take first strike by Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag.
Later, Watson ripped out the top-order of Delhi with a triple strike to account for the top three Delhi batsmen Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply to reduce them to 24/3.
Delhi never recovered from this early body blows and lost wickets at regular intervals while the asking rate kept climbing before they were shot out for a paltry 87 in 16.1 overs.
Delhi began the run-chase on a poor note when Sehwag (3) pulled a ball wide of the stumps from Watson and skied to deep mid-wicket in the second over.
Gambhir (11) and left-handed Dhawan (5), both in good form in the tournament, perished in close succession after enabling Delhi to make a partial recovery.
Gambhir slashed Watson off back foot and was caught at cover point while Dhawan pulled the Aussie straight to short mid-wicket to leave Delhi gasping at 24/3.
Watson's first three-over spell read a superb 3/10 and if Delhi had hopes of staging a fight-back they were thwarted by the dismissal of Manoj Tiwary (0), four runs later, off Munaf Patel.
It was a regular procession of batsmen thereafter and Rajasthan emerged victorious in comprehensive fashion.
Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored with 33 in 22 balls -- with a six and five fours -- before being seventh out at 76 in the 13th over.
Apart from Watson, Munaf (3/17), who was omitted from the ODI squads for Bangladesh and Pakistan, and skipper Shane Warne (2/21) were the other leading wicket takers for Rajasthan Royals.
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