IPL: Pune restrict Delhi to 162 for 7

Rising Pune Supergiants restricted Delhi Daredevils to 162 for seven in a league encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium here on Friday.

Delhi got off to a poor start losing the early wicket of Rishabh Pant, the hero of the last match against Gujarat Lions with a brilliant half-century, after being put in to bat on a slightly two-paced pitch.

The home side's ploy to open with Sanju Samson and Pant didn't work as pacer Ashok Dinda clean bowled Pant with a length ball in the third over.

Pant (2) failed to connect the ball properly as a regular length ball from Dinda angled across to uproot his off stump.

His fall brought in Karun Nair, who stitched a quickfire 35-run stand for the second wicket with Samson.

Both Nair and Samson looked dangerous as they hammered the bowlers at will to take Delhi to 48 at the end of the powerplay. But pacer Scot Boland brought the visitors back into the game by dismissing Samson (20) off the final ball of the powerplay.

In his effort to accelerate the innings, the Kerala-born youngster attempted to whip a length ball, only to give a simple catch to Ravichandran Ashwin at midwicket.

Next in, South African J.P. Duminy, who is leading the side in place of Zaheer Khan, along with Nair added 17 runs for the third wicket before Nair's stay at the crease was cut short by a leg-roller from veteran Rajat Bhatia.

The strategic time-out did the trick for the Dhoni brigade as Nair (32) tried to hit Bhatia over extra cover, only to slice it squarer for Perera to take a good catch running to his right at sweeper cover.

Replacing Nair, England big-hitter Sam Billings lived up to his reputation and lightened up the crowd with some lusty blows.

The stumper along with Duminy sent the bowlers to the leather-hunt as Delhi crossed the 100-run mark by the 13th over.

Sensing danger, Dhoni turned to his old war-horse Bhatia, who broke the 45-run stand for the fourth wicket by dismissing Billings with a slower ball. Billings' 15-ball 24 was laced with one four and two massive sixes.

West Indian all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite (20), who was the Man of the Match in the previous game at the Kotla against Kolkata Knight Riders, joined Duminy at the crease and the duo added a quickfire 27 for the fifth wicket.

Continuing his brilliant form with the bat, Brathwaite clobbered leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin for two sixes in the same over before dispatching Boland out of the midwicket boundary. But the bowler packed him back on the very next ball with a slower short delivery and he was caught by Perera at the square leg boundary.

Duminy (34) soon perished to a foolish run-out in the very next ball to leave Delhi Daredevils reeling at 138 for six. He could only manage a single boundary in his 32-ball knock.

Delhi lost Jayant Yadav (1) soon after but it was the fireworks from Delhi's most expensive buy Pawan Negi, who hit a quick-fire 12-ball 19 to take the home side to 162 for seven in their stipulated 20 overs.

For Pune, Bhatia and Boland two wickets apiece while Dinda chipped in with one wicket.

Brief Scores: Delhi Daredevils 162 for 7 (J.P. Duminy 34, Karun Nair 32, Sam Billings 24, Bhatia 2 for 22, Boland 2 for 31) vs Rising Pune Supergiants

--IANS

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