The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium was decked up for a felicitation party, and the invitees didn’t disappoint. Perhaps, if you’re hoping to give your favourite side a pleasant farewell before it faces severe tests, you need to look no further than Delhi Daredevils. Kevin Pietersen’s side includes many pliable guests who have never considered gate-crashing a party.
The obliging visitors gladly folded for 115, and only the skipper had the temerity to be hostile. Pietersen scored more than half the runs (58) in a team effort characterised by mediocrity and feebleness. Kings XI won by seven wickets.
After being put into bat, Daredevils had progressed smoothly to 43 for one in five overs despite the early loss of Mayank Agarwal. Kevin Pietersen was slamming the ball with authority and Dinesh Karthik showing class and timing for pristine hits to the fence.
The latter’s dismissal, though, marked the beginning of the Daredevils slide.
Pietersen, though, refused to submit. Two partnerships with Manoj Tiwary and Jean-Paul Duminy bore almost similar value but didn’t threaten to disturb the host’s equanimity.
Tiwary’s dismissal, though, must have caused immense consternation in the Daredevils camp as he sacrificed himself after a terrible mix-up with the skipper.
Then, Duminy departed and Pietersen followed him immediately, and with that the last bit of fight from the visitors ended. With 11 balls left, the entire team was dismissed.
The beginning of KXIP’s innings produced a bit of worry for the host since Virender Sehwag and Glenn Maxwell were dismissed within the first four overs.
However, it was plain sailing afterwards.
Since entering the side, Manan Vohra has invariably provided a quick and strong start to the KXIP innings. The man-of-the-match hit a couple of fours and a beautiful six over mid-on in the sixth over bowled by James Neesham to propel the chase.
By then, David Miller had already endured the difficult phase. The duo added 96 off 60 balls.
Miller ensured the win was achieved in style as he swept Tahir for a massive six.
Scoreboard
Delhi Daredevils: Kevin Pietersen lbw b Dhawan 58 (41b, 9x4), Mayank Agarwal c Sehwag b Johnson 2 (5b), Dinesh Karthik c Akshar b Awana 13 (7b, 3x4), Kedar Jadhav c Vohra b Awana 0 (4b), Manoj Tiwary run out 8 (11b), Jean-Paul Duminy c Akshar b Karanveer 8 (8b, 1x4), James Neesham c Bailey b Karanveer 12 (20b, 1x4), Shahbaz Nadeem (not out) 3 (7b), Mohammed Shami b Akshar 0 (1b), Imran Tahir c Dhawan b Akshar 4 (4b, 1x4), Jaydev Unadkat c Maxwell b Johnson 0 (1b), Extras (lb-1, w-6) 7; Total (in 18.1 overs) 115.
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Agarwal), 2-44 (Karthik), 3-44 (Jadhav), 4-67 (Tiwary), 5-91 (Duminy), 6-93 (Pietersen), 7-110 (Neesham), 8-111 (Shami), 9-115 (Tahir).
Kings XI Punjab bowling: Parvinder Awana 3-1-15-2, Akshar Patel 4-0-28-2, Mitchell Johnson 3.1-0-27-2, Karanveer Singh 4-0-22-2, Rishi Dhawan 4-0-22-1.
Kings XI Punjab: Virender Sehwag c Karthik b Shami 9 (7b, 2x4), Manan Vohra b Tahir 47 (38b, 4x4, 2x6), Glenn Maxwell c Pietersen b Unadkat 0 (3b), David Miller (not out) 47 (34b, 4x4, 2x6), George Bailey (not out) 1 (1b), Extras (lb-5, w-10) 15; Total (for three wkts. in 13.5 overs) 119.
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Sehwag), 2-16 (Maxwell), 3-112 (Vohra).
Delhi Daredevils bowling: Mohammed Shami 3-0-26-1, Jaydev Unadkat 2-0-3-1, James Neesham 1-0-14-0, Jean-Paul Duminy 2-0-15-0, Imran Tahir 3.5-0-32-1, Shahbaz Nadeem 2-0-24-0.
Man-of-the-match: Manan Vohra
Kings XI Punjab won by seven wickets with 6.1 overs to spare
