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New Delhi: Team Delhi are no doubt missing England's Kevin Pietersen. Though the aggressive intent of the team is still there, without Pietersen's consistency the spark seems to be missing, as was evident in the team's defeat to Kolkata at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Monday.
The six-wicket win - the sixth consecutive one for Gautam Gambhir's team - made Kolkata the new table toppers in the competition, dethroning Delhi from the pedestal.
Delhi disappointed in front of a packed home ground. They managed 153/8 in their 20 stipulated overs but the total seemed inadequate and in reply, Kolkata reached the winning score with eight balls to spare. This was only the third loss for Delhi in 11 games. Pietersen's replacement David Warner did give a good start to their innings, but somewhere down the line Delhi failed to get going. Against a bowling attack which had the likes of Sunil Narine, Brett Lee and Jacques Kallis, Delhi's big guns failed to come to the party. The total was boosted only by Irfan Pathan's late charge (36 off 22 balls, 2X4, 1X6).
Kolkata's batsmen, on the other hand, were much more disciplined. Opener Brendon McCullum (56 off 44 balls) top scored, sharing a crucial opening stand of 68 with skipper Gautam Gambhir (36 off 21 balls) and another partnership of 60 runs with Jacques Kallis (30) which sealed the match in Kolkata's favour.
Delhi pacers Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav impressed but eventually failed to swing the match in the team's favour. Yadav was on a hat-trick after he dismissed both McCullum and Kallis one after the other. These two wickets also raised a little bit of hope for Delhi, but it was all a bit too late.
Earlier, at the start of the Delhi innings, Kolkata's Brett Lee did bowl a maiden over but Delhi raced to 40 in less than four overs. Skipper Sehwag raced to 23 runs off 9 balls but couldn't go on to make a sixth consecutive half century. Kallis was the pick of the Kolkata bowlers, being ably supported by Narine.
Jaywardene survived a close caught-behind-the-wicket appeal off Kallis, then got into an altercation after Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir, but wasn't in his elements and got run out while stealing a single. Ross Taylor too struggled, playing out 27 balls for a scratchy 16.
Brief scores
Delhi Daredevils 153 for 9 (Pathan 36, Kallis 2-20)
Kolkata Knight Riders 154 for 4 (McCullum 56, Gambhir 36)
Result Kolkata Knight Riders won by six wickets
Points Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Delhi Daredevils 0
MOM Jacques Kallis (Kolkata Knight Riders)
