EDEN GARDENS: Delhi continued their winning form as they defeated KKR in their home ground Kolkata on Friday night. Shikhar Dhawan finally played a match-winning for his team. They have now registered their 4th win of the season and moved to the 4th spot in the table surpassing KXIP due to better NRR.
After winning the toss, Delhi Capitals put Kolkata Knight Riders to bat. Both the team made some couple of changes. For Kolkata, Joe Denly was making his IPL debut while Carlos Braithwaite and Lockie Ferguson made it to playing 11. They replaced Lynn, Narine, and gurney in the squad. While DC also dropped Sandeep Lammichane and brought Keemo Paul.
It wasn’t a memorable Debut for the Englishman Joe Denly as he was departed on the first ball of the game. Shubhman Gill, who was promoted up the order, as Lynn-Narine were out of the squad. He has finally got an opportunity to showcase his talent.
For the second wicket, Uthappa-Shubhman Made 62 runs after Uthappa lost his wicket to Rabada. After Couple of overs, they also lost the In-form batsman Nitish Rana. Shubhman who was looking in sublime touch was then joined by the Star of this years’ edition Andre Russell. Meanwhile, he reached his 2nd half-century of the IPL. He was then dismissed by Keemo Paul in the 14th over. They lost another one as Dinesh Karthik also departed. And it was time for DRE-RUSS SHOW. He hits 2 sixes in the 17th over and made 45 runs off just 21 deliveries which had 3 fours and 4 sixes.
In the second part of the inning, the visitors started badly as they lost Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer in the Powerplay. Shaw was looking good in the beginning but Karthik took a stunner behind the wicket to dismiss him. But despite that, it was the first time in the tournament that Dhawan was playing with some positive intent. He first completed his half-century in just 31 deliveries in which he hit 6 fours and 2 huge sixes.
After the first Strategic time out, Both Batsmen shifted their gears to score some quick runs. They were hitting boundaries in every over and made the Required Run rate under 9. Someway Somehow they were hitting Sixes and Fours and regular basis. Not only Dhawan, but Rishabh Pant was also playing a match-winning Knock for his team. With just 17 needed in final 3, DC was on the top of the game. But, Pant Lost his wicket in the 17th over when he was batting on 46. He hits 6 fours and 2 sixes.
Dhawan was batting on 97 when Delhi required 5 runs. And on the last ball of the 19th over Colin Ingram hits a six to finish the game and with this Dhawan remain unbeaten on 97. For his Heroics, he was adjourned as the man of the match award.