KKR 154-4 after 18.4 overs
M Tiwary 8, Pathan 2
Victory for KKR. Gambhir is the true Delhi boy. KKR’s sixth consecutive win and they also go top of the table with the six-wicket win. Top three — McCullum 56, Gambhir 36, Kallis 30 sealed the easy win. Narine was superb with the ball too.
KKR 146-3 after 17 overs
M Tiwary 8, Pathan 2
This is too easy. Almost boring. Only 8 runs needed off 18 balls. The crowd has gone silent and quite a few have left already.
KKR 128-3 after 15.2 overs
BB McCullum c Sehwag b Yadav 56 (44b, 7×4)
Now McCullum falls. We are still yawning though. That’s how easy KKR have made it seem.
KKR 128-2 after 15.1 overs
JH Kallis c †Ojha b Yadav 30 (27b, 3×4)
Top-edge. Good catch by the keeper. Kolkata Knight Riders require another 26 runs with 8 wickets and 29 balls remaining.
KKR 107-1 after 13 overs
McCullum 48, Kallis 14
Kolkata Knight Riders require another 47 runs with 9 wickets and 42 balls remaining. KKR has this in the bag. And Delhi need some magic again.
KKR 68-1 after 7 overs
G Gambhir b Aaron 36 (21b, 4×4, 1×6)
One ball after Umesh Yadav dropped a sitter to give Gambhir a life. The left-hander obliged by playing on to the stumps. He really needs to stop trying these little dibs and dabs.
KKR 60-0 after 6 overs
McCullum 26, Gambhir 33
Great start from KKR. They have the advantage for now. DD are in desperate need of a wicket now. Both the KKR openers are finding the gaps with a fair degree of ease. But now DD will have the chance to spread the field.
KKR 37-0 after 4 overs
McCullum 12, Gambhir 24
And KKR are motoring along. Perhaps Delhi have the wrong attack for the conditions. Too many fast bowlers. They could have used a spinner or two here. Gambhir has got going in impressive style now.
KKR innings
KKR 14-0 after 2 overs
McCullum 10, Gambhir 4
A few lucky edges and KKR are away. McCullum found some form in the last match and it will be interesting to see if he can continue in the same vein. Gambhir, on the other hand, just has to stay there. The runs will come.
DD 153-9 after 20 overs
VR Aaron run out 1 (1b)
Delhi lost a lot of wickets towards the end but this will be a competitive total especially if they can get Gambhir early. The rest of the batsmen have relied on the KKR skipper to give them a good start. Kallis will also be a big threat for DD, who have three fast bowlers — Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron in the mix today.
DD 125-5 after 17 overs
Y Nagar b Lee 10 (7b, 1×4)
Nagar who! That’s what Brett Lee must’ve been asking after he was smacked for a four. His response was a stinging yorker. The batsman had no chance.
DD 100-4 after 14.2 overs
R Taylor c Bhatia b Sangwan 16 (27b)
No fours or sixes in Taylor’s knock. Just how is Sehwag justifying the New Zealander’s place in the team. Expect him get the drop next time round. Surely, a play like Andre Russell will add more value to the team.
DD 95-3 after 12.4 overs
DPMD Jayawardene run out 30 (27b, 3×4, 1×6)
Taylor tapped it down towards point and set off. Jayawardene responded quickly but Gambhir was onto it in a flash and the stumps directly. The Sri Lankan was not even in the frame. That was a big wicket for KKR. Gambhir was all pumped up there.
DD 89-2 after 12 overs
Mahela 26, Taylor 11
Too slow by normal DD standards. Sehwag and Warner gave DD a good start but it’s been downhill since.
DD 79-2 after 10 overs
Mahela 22, Taylor 6
There was a short heated moment between Gambhir and Jayawardene and that seems to have spurred on the Sri Lankan skipper. He is looking pretty good and he isn’t a batsman you want to get mad.
DD 64-2 after 8 overs
Mahela 9, Taylor 4
KKR have things in control now but Delhi have enough batting firepower to make this a big run chase. The likes of Irfan Pathan down the order can hit some pretty big shots. But then KKR have Narine and Rajat Bhatia.
DD 49-2 after 5.4 overs
DA Warner c McCullum b Kallis 21 (19b, 2×4, 1×6)
Warner gone for 41, Kallis the bowler again. Caught by the keeper. DD are in a bit of a bother now. Taylor hasn’t been in very good form and they will need Mahela to stay in the middle and get a partnership going here. Good ball, no width for Warner though.
DD 40-1 after 3.3 overs
V Sehwag lbw b Kallis 23 (9b, 3×4, 1×6)
Jinxed him! DD 40-1. KKR didn’t need Narine. Kallis trapped him lbw and that is a wicket worth it’s weight in gold. Warner has looked good too but there is no Pietersen and it will be interesting to see how Delhi cope with his absence.
DD 16-0 after 2 overs
Warner 1, Sehwag 16
Sehwag has needed just 5 balls to get to 16… he thoroughly smashed Sangwan, who has been brought into the game as the local boy. And once Sehwag gets going he can be so hard to stop. At the other end, Warner is yet to get into his stride.
Pre-game
The toss was won by Delhi Daredevils, who chose to bat against an in-form KKR outfit.
Varun Aaron, the India fast bowler, is fit again after a long injury layoff and comes into the XI in place of Pawan Negi. David Warner takes Kevin Pietersen’s place in the side.
Brett Lee and Pradeep Sangwan, the left-arm paceman, are in for KKR, in place of Marchant de Lange and Iqbal Abdulla.
Virender Sehwag is ready for another go. AFP
Squads
KKR XI: G Gambhir, B McCullum, J Kallis, M Tiwary, Y Pathan, D Das, L Ratan Shukla, R Bhatia, B Lee, P Sangwan, S Narine.
DD XI: D Warner, V Sehwag, M Jayawardene, R Taylor, N Ojha, Y Nagar, I Pathan, M Morkel, S Nadeem, U Yadav, V Aaron.
