Kolkata: Shikhar Dhawan (97 n o, 63b, 11×4, 2×6) led from the front as his unbeaten knock helped Delhi Capitals (DC) to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an IPL encounter at Eden Gardens here, Friday.
Chasing 179 runs for victory, Dhawan was ably supported by Rishabh Pant (46, 31b, 4×4, 2×6) as the duo together added 105 runs for the third wicket after early dismissals of Prithvi Shaw (14) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (six).
Earlier, Andre Russell (45, 21b, 3×4, 4×6) blazed away to another quick-fire knock after Shubman Gill’s (65, 39b, 7×4, 2×6) brisk half-century, powered KKR to 178/7 at a jam-packed Eden Gardens.
This was Russell’s sixth successive 40-plus score, after youngster Gill stroked his maiden fifty of this season, helping the hosts recover from Ishant Sharma’s (1/21) wicket-maiden first over.
The Jamaican, who was cleaned up by Kagiso Rabada (2/42) with a toe-crushing yorker in their Super Over defeat in the first leg, also exacted a sweet revenge smashing the South African for two sixes in an over that yielded 16 runs.
Chris Morris (2/38) removed Russell in the penultimate over when he was caught in the deep by Rabada. Sent into bat, from batting at No. 6 in their last match against Chennai Super Kings, Gill was promoted to open the innings and the 19-year-old responded with a fine knock, his second IPL fifty.
Gill, along with Robin Uthappa (28), added 63 runs for the second wicket after a horror start – debutant Joe Denly (zero) being dismissed in the first ball of the match.
Ishant knocked out the off-stump of Denly with a fantastic inswinger. However, KKR did well to bring themselves out of the rut with Uthappa and Gill counter-attacking with a flurry of boundaries.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 178/7 (Shubman Gill 65, Andre Russell 45; Chris Morris 2/38) lost to Delhi Capitals 180/3 (Shikhar Dhawan 97 n o, Rishabh Pant 46) by seven wickets.
