After 7 straight losses, Delhi Daredevils finally tasted victory when their overseas star, J.P. Duminy played a thrilling knock of 52 not out enroute to a four-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight.
After 7 straight losses, Delhi Daredevils finally tasted victory when their overseas star, J.P. Duminy played a thrilling knock of 52 not out enroute to a four-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight. The Knight Riders had setup a challenging target of 167 but it was Duminy who played mesmerizing innings to the Delhi side home with three balls to spare.
Daredevils got off to a worst possible start when their opener Murali Vijay got out for a duck on his second delivery. Mayank Agarwal and Dinesh Karthik did try to stabilize the innings. Skipper Karthik looked in sublime touch as he scored 56 off 40 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes.
When all was going well for Delhi, in stepped KKR’s Sunil Narine who sent Karthik packing and left Duminy to handle the mission. With 6 needed of the final 3 deliveries, the southpaw hoisted one over the legside and won Delhi the game.
Earlier, the 2012 champions were in a spot of bother when they lost Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis cheaply. However, batsman Manish Pandey (48) and Robin Uthappa (55) took over and steered the struggling Yellow brigade towards safety. Some lusty blows towards the end by Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan took the Kolkata-based team to a 150-par score.
Delhi needed this victory badly and if and when Kevin Pietersen returns, it will be a massive boost. On the other hand, Kolkata have the same ‘old’ problems and they have to quickly solve them!
