KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS STUTTER TO 64 RUNS AGAINST DELHI DAREDEVILS – FIRST INNINGS – OVERS 0 TO 10

The Kolkata Knight Riders took on the Delhi Daredevils in the 33^rd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Daredevils in desperate need of a win to keep their slim hopes of winning the league alive.

As both the Kolkata captain, Gautam Gambir, and his Delhi counterpart, Virender Sehwag, made their way on to the pitch, one could sense the level of anticipation in the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi steadily rising.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first it seemed that Sehwag was confident going into the match despite his side’s recent form. “If me (Sehwag) and Warner click, we can chase any total,” he added.

Jacques Kallis and Shreevat Goswami made their way to the crease as they looked to get their side off to a strong start. In their way was the unpredictable Irfan Pathan. Kallis was fortunate not to be heading back to the pavilion after he was dropped on the second to last delivery of the first over, when Warner perhaps should have done better with the catch.

The games first and second boundaries came in quick succession in the second over when Albie Morkel found himself on the receiving end of some fine stroke play by Goswami. The third over was a display of Pathan at his vintage best, with the bowler giving away just two runs and applying some early pressure onto the batsmen.

While Pathan was in fine form, Morkel was struggling as he went for 13 runs in the next over after three deliveries found their way to the ropes.

Goswami seemed to be in trouble on the first delivery of the next over but he was ruled not out by the third umpire as he just managed to make it into the crease in time. Kallis though was playing like a man possessed and got his reward two deliveries later when the ball crashed into the leg stump.

Gambir was the next man in and was quick to get off the mark, yet his partnership with Goswami was short lived as the latter was caught behind for 22 runs after a peach of a delivery from Ajit Agarkar.

Manoj Tiwary and Gautham Gambir got a much needed partnership going as the pair guided their side to the next few overs with keeping wickets seeming to be their main priority.

By the end of the first 10 overs the Kolkata Knight Riders were going at a relatively slow 6.40 runs per over and putting together a shaky 64 runs.

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MANOJ TIWARY LEADS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS TO 146 VS DELHI DAREDEVILS – FIRST INNINGS – OVERS 10 TO 20

Manoj Tiwary and Kolkata Knight Rider skipper, Gautam Gambir, knew they had to rack up the pace if they wanted to put up a decent target for the Dehli Daredevils to chase in the second innings.

Agit Agarkar looked to pick up where he left off and get a few wickets for his side but Manoj Tiwary had other ideas as he smashed the bowler for the match’s first six and followed it up with a slap of a shot for four.

The over added 15 runs to the Kolkata’s cause as the batsmen looked to express themselves more in the second half of the match after a quiet first 10 overs. Gauthim Gambir tried to match the aggression of his batting partner but James Hopes seemed to be anticipating just that. Hopes tempted Gambir to go for a big hit, and when the batsman obliged the ball went straight into the hands of Venugopal Rao.

Yusuf Pathan made his way onto the pitch but it was Tiwary who continued the Knight Rider assault after he punished Albie Morkel with another rope clearing six. Two overs later Tiwary had another six runs on the board, before Yadav sent Yusuf Pathan back to the pavilion for five runs after the batsman’s shot went straight to the fielder who made no mistake with the catch.

Yadav was on fire as he sent Eoin Morgan packing when the batsman managed to knick the ball on its way into the wicket-keeper’s gloves. At 105 for 5 runs after 15 overs the Knight Riders were struggling.

Irfan Pathan continued his impressive bowling display, restricting the Knight Riders to just four runs in the 16^th over, before Tiwary completed his half century four deliveries later.

Ryan ten Doeschate went on the offensive the 19^th over smashing the hapless Morkel for a huge six and well timed four. Yet it was Morkel who had the last laugh as Irfan Pathan took another catch to give the bowler his first wicket of the match.

The last over of the match was an eventful affair with eight runs and Brett Lee’s wicket falling. Tiwary finished with a score of 61 runs off just 47 deliveries in what was a crucial knock by the Kolkata Knight Rider batsman.

For the Delhi Daredevils, Irfan Pathan was the hero who put in a blinder of a performance giving away just 16 runs and taking a wicket to boot.

The Daredevils now needed to chase a relatively less challenging target of 149 runs in the second innings to secure a crucial win for their side.

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