DD outplay KKR to keep hopes alive

Raipur, May 1: Delhi Daredevils won their second consecutive match at the Chhattisgarh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur as they defeated defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets and kept their play-off dreams alive. DD were led by David Warner who scored an undefeated 66 to see his team home. Earlier the DD bowlers put on a good show restricting KKR to 136.

Chasing 137, DD started slowly. Virender Sehwag was given a reprieve on 11 when Gautam Gambhir dropped a sitter off Brett Lee in the third over. Sehwag (17) hit Jacques Kallis for a boundary before the South African had him caught at slip a couple of balls later. Mahela Jayawardene (5) followed him in similar fashion off Lakshmipathy Balaji three balls later. Unmukt Chand and David Warner rebuilt the innings putting on 95 runs for the third wicket.

Manvinder Bisla missed an opportunity to stump Warner off Bhatia when the Australian was on 22. DD were 56 for 2 at the halfway stage, still needing 81 runs. Warner was given another chance when Kallis dropped him on 28. Chand dismissed Kallis for two boundaries in the 14th over. Needing 37 from 30 balls, Warner hit consecutive boundaries off Balaji to bring up his fourth fifty of the season. Warner launched Lee for a maximum before Chand (37) was caught by Balaji. Ben Rohrer (14*) deposited Yusuf Pathan for a maximum to see DD home with 13 balls remaining.

Earlier KKR won the toss and elected to bat. KKR were shaken early as Gambhir (0) was run out without facing a delivery. Yusuf Pathan smashed consecutive boundaries off Ashish Nehra in the second over. Umesh Yadav sent back Bisla (4) castling him. Yusuf Pathan (20) slammed Morne Morkel for a six before he fell the next ball, caught by his brother Irfan Pathan. KKR were 37 for 3 from their power play.

Shahbaz Nadeem then had Eoin Morgan (10) caught by Yadav to leave KKR four down.

KKR lost half their side when Kallis (12) departed as Rohrer took a stunning catch off Irfan Pathan. Debabrata Das hit Nadeem for a six in the 14th over. Ashish Nehra had Das (18) caught behind in the 16th over. Sumit Narwal hit consecutive boundaries off Yadav as KKR took 15 runs from the 17th over. Narwal (23) fell off Yadav in the penultimate over as Rajat Bhatia (26) remained unbeaten. A couple of sixes from Brett Lee (16*), in the final over, propelled KKR to 136 for 7.

Man-of-the-Match: David Warner

Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 136 for 7 (Rajat Bhatia 26*, Irfan Pathan 2-36) lost to Delhi Dardevils 137 for 3 (David Warner 62*, Brett Lee 1-26) by 7 wickets.