New Delhi: It was the perfect advertisement for T20 cricket as Delhi Capitals (DC) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by three runs in the Super Over after the match ended in a tie at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday.
Chasing 186, DC finished on 185/6 as the crowd witnessed some high-quality action.Batting first in the Super Over, Delhi managed just 10/1 with Prasidh Krishna bowling a tight line. In reply, KKR lost Andre Russell for just 4 as Kagiso Rabada bowled a perfect yorker. He followed it up with a few perfect deliveries to defend the total and win the game for Delhi.Earlier, what KKR all-rounder Andre Russell did, Prithvi Shaw did better. But nerves got the better of the DC batsmen as the match ended in a tie and went into the Super Over.Needing to defend six runs off the final over of the innings, Kuldeep Yadav showed nerves of steel as the Delhi batsmen failed to score them on a Kotla wicket turning square. With 2 required off the last ball, Colin Ingram was run out while completing the second run.Even though the game ended in a tie, it was a case of quality batsmanship on display as Russell first showed what brute power is during his knock of 62 off 28 balls (4×4, 6×6) before Shaw followed it up with a classy 55-ball 99 (4×12, 6×3).Chasing 186 on a Kotla wicket was never going to be easy, but Shaw and skipper Shreyas Iyer (43) put on 89 runs for the second wicket to set the platform for Delhi. If Shaw was the perfect mix of some orthodox and unorthodox style of hitting, Iyer was more than happy to play the second fiddle. But the duo were severe on any bad ball and took special liking for chinaman Kuldeep as they smashed him for 33 off his first two overs.Although Shubman Gill gifted Iyer a life on 35, he couldn’t make much of it as the same fielder caught him off Russell for 43 two balls later. After that it was Rishabh Pant’s turn to join the party for Delhi. But the southpaw managed just 11 as Kuldeep dismissed him with DC still needing another 16 runs. There was no celebration in the KKR ranks as the match looked very much in the bag for Delhi. Kuldeep dropped Shaw (97) off the very next ball as it turned out to be an unlucky day for the spinner. Shaw was dismissed in the next over by Lockie Ferguson as Dinesh Karthik completed a good catch. This changed the complexion of the match completely.Ingram and Hanuma Vihari were at the crease to face the last 6 balls but Vihari (2) was dismissed by Kuldeep with DC needing 2 off 2 balls.Earlier, Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl. It all looked good before Russell came into bat in the 10th over of the KKR innings. With the score reading 61/5, it looked like DC had the game under control. But Russell had other ideas. However in the end DC had the last laugh. (IANS)
