Kolkata: The Delhi Capitals claimed their fourth win of VIVO IPL 2019 when they defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders by 7 wickets at the Eden Gardens on Friday night. After opting to bowl first, the Delhi Capitals restricted the hosts Knight Riders to 178-7 and then chased down the runs in 18.5 overs, losing only 3 wickets in the process.
Put in to bat, the Kolkata Knight Riders posted 178-7 riding on Shubman Gill’s 39-ball 65 and Andre Russell’s 21-ball 45. KKR were without their regular opening pair of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine – both missing due to injuries – and instead had to make do with makeshift opening pair of Shuban Gill and Joe Denly. Though Denly was dismissed off the first ball of the match, Gill and Robbie Uthappa resurrected the innings with a 63-run partnership. The only other notable contribution in the KKR innings came from Andre Russell, who plundered 4 sixes and 3 fours in his 21-ball 45. KKR finished at 178-7.
Delhi Capitals were off to a brisk start with young Prithvi Shaw scoring two sixes in his 7-ball 14. After he was dismissed, edging Prasidh Krishna to the wicket-keeper, captain Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan added 25 runs for the second wicket. After that partnership was broken – when Shreyas was caught behind off Andre Russell, Dhawan took it upon himself to steer the run-chase; he finished unbeaten on 97 from 63 balls, and found good company in Rishabh Pant, who made 46 from 31 balls. The pair added 105 runs and took the Delhi Capitals to the brink before Pant was dismissed in the eighteenth over; Dhawan and Colin Ingram finished off the job. The Delhi Capitals sailed past the finish line with seven balls to spare.
Standout batting performances
Shikhar Dhawan anchored the Delhi Capitals’ run-chase of 179 with a composed 97; the left-hander struck 11 fours and 2 sixes in his 63-ball knock, and held one end firm, allowing the other batsmen to play their natural game. Dhawan, who was fluent through the off-side, brought up his half-century off 32 balls, before proceeding to finish unbeaten on 97 not out – his highest score in T20 cricket.
For KKR, the standout batting performance was from Shubman Gill, who was called on to open the innings in the absence of the regular openers Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine. Young Gill made 65 from 39 balls, his knock studded with seven fours and two sixes. Gill batted till the 15th over and stitched a crucial partnership of 63 runs for the second wicket with Robbie Uthappa
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