Kuldeep Yadav exacts sweet revenge as Delhi Capitals beat Knights by 44 runs

Mumbai:  Openers Prithvi Shaw (51, 29b, 7×4, 2×6) and David Warner’s (61, 45b, 6×4, 2×6) fearless batting followed by Kuldeep Yadav’s (4/35) bowling helped Delhi Capitals (DC) thrash Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 44 runs in their IPL encounter here Sunday.

After being put in DC scored 215 for five and then dismissed the Knights for 171 in 19.4 overs at the Brabourne Stadium here with Kuldeep Yadav exacting sweet revenge for being sidelined by the Kolkata team.

The scoreboard pressure was always telling and Kuldeep’s bowling proving to be the vital cog on a belter of a pitch. He dismissed opposition skipper Shreyas Iyer (54, 33b, 5×4, 2×6) just when he looked like taking the game away. Kuldeep had Iyer stumped with a googly which the latter had no clue as he came down the track and the ball turned away after pitching.

Pat Cummins didn’t play any manic knock as a Kuldeep leg-break ended his stay and then he took a magnificent skier off his own bowling to cap off a superb evening under lights.

Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed (3/25) bowled fast and sharp at the onset and in the end Andre Russell (24, 21b, 3×4) had too much to do with too little time left and result was a one-sided victory for DC.

At the start, Shaw and Warner feasted on a quality bowling attack before DC survived a scratchy middle-order show to reach a healthy score. If Shaw-Warner added 93 to set the platform, Shardul Thakur (29 n o, 11b, 1×4, 3×6) and Axar Patel (22, 14b, 2×4, 1×6) added 49 in just 3.2 overs to finish the innings in style.

Warner and Shaw were facing one of the most lethal pace attacks of this edition but to their advantage it was perhaps the best batting track.

Umesh Yadav (1/48) had his first bad outing in this IPL, while Warner also launched into Cummins (0/51) with two boundaries over cover as 50 came in four overs. It’s a rarity to have 10 fours and two sixes being hit in the power play as Iyer looked clueless. The only bowler who could restrict DC batters was Sunil Narine (2/21).

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 215 for 5 (David Warner 61, Prithvi Shaw 51, Sunil Narine 2/21) KKR 171 in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 54, Kuldeep Yadav 4/35, Khaleel Ahmed 3/25) by 44 runs.