Sehwag hits fifty, goofs up, and Daredevils lose to Punjab by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab
Player:	V Sehwag, G Gambhir, DPMD Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh, MF Maharoof, JR Hopes
Event:	Indian Premier League 2007/08

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DateLine: 19th May 2008

 

In an almost must win encounter for the Delhi Daredevils, they took on the Kings XI Punjab at home. And with the capital city experiencing unseasonal rains at this time of the year, the match turned out to be a rain-curtailed, yet gripping match.

 

Winning the toss, Sehwag elected to bat first, and got off to a thunderous start after being dropped once by his opposite number, Yuvraj Singh. Gautam Gambhir continued his good form, as he scored another forty before getting bowled by Ramesh Powar. It was here that it stated raining and the Delhi Daredevils were at a very healthy 94/1 in 8.1 overs. Unfortunately, the rains reduced the match to eleven overs a side, and the expected acceleration never came for the Daredevils, as they managed a 118/4 in their restricted 11 overs. Sehwag remained uneaten on 51, after his two successive ducks in the last two matches.

 

Kings XI Punjab’s reply was shaky, as they lost three quick wickets in the beginning, two of them to amazing catches. At 34/3, the Kings needed 90 runs to win off the remaining 7 overs, and the Daredevils were in command. It was here that Virender Sehwag, in an attempt to reach the five over cut-off, made a tactical blunder by bringing himself on, and another of bowling quickish yorkers, thus allowing batsmen to use the same to guide it to the fence. Twenty two runs came off it, and it all went downhill for the Daredevils after that.

 

Mishra had taken a hat-trick in his last game, and got a wicket off his first over, but he could just not grip the ball in the persistent shower, and was hit for 17 in his next. Maharoof bowled the seventh and gave away 12, and by the time, Rajat Bhatia bowled the eighth, the Kings were ahead of the target by Duckworth-Lewis. In fact, at the end of 7.5 overs, the scores were tied, but Jayawardene hit a six off the last, before the heavens opened again and there was no further play possible.

 

The Kings had won by six runs, and Mahela Jayawardene was declared the Man-of-the-Match, for his 17-ball 36, that sealed the win for his team. With this Punjab move to the second spot with fourteen points where as Delhi remain at fifth with 10.