| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Rajkot: Delhi Daredevils chased down Gujarat Lions target of 150 which much ease as opener’s Quinton de Kock and Rishabh Pant constructed a 115- run stand for the first wicket.
De Kock and Pant looked in total control of the game as they muscled, powered and drilled the Lion bowling all around the park due to which DD defeated GL by 8-wickets.
Pant was the most destructive of the lot bring up his first ever Indian Premier League (IPL) half-century. Pant playing his playing his third IPL game, showed why he was so highly rated by DD mentor Rahul Dravid.
Pant brought up his fifty in just 25 balls which already included 8 boundaries and 1 six. Q de Kock who is more established of cricketer between the two, took his time and let the young lad display his thunderous batting show. He departed from the crease making a swashbuckling 69-off 40 balls.
Ravindra Jadeja picked up the wicket of Pant, as he could only manage an inside edge to wicket keeper Karthik on 69 which included 9 boundaries and 2 massive sixes. With Pant’s wicket the first wicket stand of 115 between himself and De Kock came to an end.
De Kock innings also missed out on a well deserved half-century as he gave his wicket away trying to bring up his fifty with a six. De Kock slogged a simple catch to Dwayne Smith who was standing at mid wicket region handing Shivil Kaushik his first wicket.
After the fall of Pant and De Kock it was Sanju Samson and JP Duminy, who together got their team to safety. Samson was lucky to survive a stumping call as the bowler Jadeja has easily overstepped. Samson finished an easy chase in style as he smashed Jadeja for a massive six to finish the game giving DD 2 points.
Earlier, A fine collective bowling effort enabled Delhi Daredevils to restrict Gujarat Lions to 149/7.
Shahbaz Nadeem took two wickets while rest of the Delhi bowlers, barring Jean-Paul Duminy, took one wicket each as Gujarat managed to score 149 runs riding mainly on a brisk half-century by Dinesh Karthik.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, captain Zaheer Khan gave Delhi Daredevils a dream start when he clean bowled the dangerous Brendon McCullum (1) in the third over. Nadeem increased Gujarat misery when he dismissed big hitters Dwayne Smith and Aaron Finch in one over.
Nadeem first had Smith caught by Chris Morris at long-on and then foxed Finch into playing a slog sweep to a flighted delivery that was top edged to Rishabh Pant at short fine leg.
Captain Suresh Raina and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik put up a 51-run stand off 42 balls to steady Gujarat and just when the duo was starting to look dangerous, Amit Mishra had Raina (24) stumped by Quinton de Kock to reduce Gujarat to 75/4 in 11 overs.
Karthik kept the runs flowing scoring a fine half-century off 42 balls with the help of five hits to the fence. But he was clean bowled next ball by Mohammed Shami.James Faulkner (7) tried to up the ante but failed as his leg stump was uprooted by Morris.
Ravindra Jadeja (36*) hit a six in the final over by Shami which went for 11 runs but could not take Gujarat over the 150-run mark.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Lions - 149/7 (Karthik 53, Jadeja 36*, Nadeem 2-23)
Delhi Daredevils - 150/2 (Pant 69, de Kock 46)
Result - Delhi Daredevils won by 8 wickets
