"Future of Indian batting is not just safe, it's exploding" - Harsha Bhogle
A stroke filled innings from Shreyas Iyer gave Delhi Daredevils a morale lifting win over Gujarat Lions in Kanpur. Iyer’s 96 off 57 balls allowed Delhi to pull off a two wicket win in a humdinger of a 196 run chase.
Delhi won the toss and elected to field first. Gujarat Lions had a slow start, in the first three overs there was no outcome from either Dwayne Smith or Ishan Khan. Delhi skipper Zaheer Khan and Mohammed Shami kept it tight for the Gujarat openers. Smith was sent back to the pavilion on the first ball of the fourth over, after he was ‘run out’ by Amit Mishra at deep fine-leg. Later in the sixth over skipper Suresh Raina was bowled out by Pat Cummins. With the loss of two quick wickets, Gujarat went under pressure, but Kishan was connecting the ball well.
After Kishan’s dismissal, Gujarat needed some stability. Aaron Finch (69 off 39 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (40 off 28 balls) put a partnership of 92 runs. Finch thumped consecutive sixes off Mishra. The duo continued to go strong and Delhi fielders went under the hammer. The boundaries began coming thick and fast. Gujarat Lions 148/3 in 16 overs and were fancying 200 definitely gettable. Corey Anderson took a fine catch off Karthik, but a six from Finch, next ball brought up his 12th IPL half-century. After Finch’s dismissal, Jadeja and Faulkner collectively scored three boundaries to lift Lions to 195/5.
In the second innings, Delhi was reduced to 15/2 in no time. Sanju Samson was dismissed by Pradeep Sangwan and Rishab Pant was run out by Suresh Raina. Despite the fall of quick wickets Shreyas Iyer was alive on the pitch. Iyer held the falling run rate for Delhi. His knocks were wonderfully coming from the middle of his bat. In his company, Pat Cummins scored an extremely crucial 24 off 13 balls and for Delhi close. With 14 needed off 11, the Daredevils were the favorites.
In the final over Iyer had to depart bringing, but Mishra’s boundary gave Delhi a two wicket win over Gujarat Lions.
AMandeep
