New Delhi May 8: Kolkata Knight Riders cantered to a 6-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Monday.
Jacques Kallis' (2-20) brilliant bowling helped Kolkata control Delhi to 153 for 9. The visitors then egged on by Brendon McCollum’s 56 off 44 balls achieve the target losing 4 wickets and with 8 balls to spare. Captain Gautam Gambhir (36) and all-rounder Jacques Kallis (30) made valuable help as Knight Riders registered their sixth consecutive win in the league.
Kallis, who selected up two for 20, was also adjudging as Man of the Match for his all-round performance. The Knight Riders have 17 points, having played one match more than the Daredevils, who are on 16 points from 11 matches. Gambhir got his team to another flyer smash 5 fours on his way to 36 off just 21 balls. His opening partner Brendon McCollum gave him full support as the Knight Riders reached 60 at the end of the power play.
Umesh Yadav dropped Gambhir at 3rd-man but luckily for him, Varun Aaron castled him the very next ball. Kolkata were coast at 128 for one at the end of 15 overs but pacer Yadav gave the hosts an inkling of hope removing Kallis (30) and McCollum of consecutive balls. Yusuf Pathan (7) and Debabrata Das (1) held on to their nerves taking Kolkata across the line prior, Daredevils elect to bat made a good start, courtesy captain Virender Sehwag (21) and David Warner (23). After Brett Lee bowled a maiden in the 1st over, the next 2overs yielded 34 runs.
The joy still was short-lived as Kallis (2-20) gave Delhi a body blow, trapping Sehwag in front of the stumps. The Delhi dasher's dream run in the tournament came to an end after scoring five consecutive fifties. Though he wins himself the orange cap, overtake Rajasthan Royals' Ajinkya Rahane. Warner, played his 1st match in the 5th edition, didn't stay too long either as he fell victim to Kallis' bouncer?Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayewardene (30) looked in good touch and forged a 46-run stand with New Zealand's Ross Taylor. Keeper McCollum gave him a pardon when he was on 8 but Mahela failed to cash in as Gambhir ran him out.
Taylor's abysmal run in this year's match continued, as he scooped an easy catch to long off, giving medium-pacer Pradeep Sangwan his 1st scalp in the tournament. The New Zealand skipper looked totally out of sorts; scoring 16 off 27 balls. All-rounder Irfan Pathan played a cameo down the order hitting 36 off 22 balls, which integrated a 6 and four fours. Pathan's late surge propels Delhi to a fighting total.
West Indian Sunil Narine again bowled an economical spell picking 2 for 23 from his four overs.
