Delhi 144-4 after 15.2 overs
Ojha 11, Nagar 9
Two boundaries in two balls from Ojha helps Delhi finish the game in style. A huge six over long-off brings the dug-out on its feet to celebrate yet another win for the Daredevils. Sehwag led from the front yet again, scoring his fifth consecutive fifty as Pietersen contributed a solid 36 in his last IPL appearance this year.
WICKET! Delhi 131-4 after 14.4 overs
Virender Sehwag c Dravid b Hogg 73 (38b, 12×4, 1×6)
Sehwag was getting a boundary here and there, with his last one drilled past the bowler. But this time his attempt at trying to dig out a shot on the off-side ends up at point. Hogg does the magic again for Rajasthan. He has been very tidy.
WICKET! Delhi 106-3 after 11.4 overs
Ross Taylor c Goswami b Hogg 6 (5b, 1×4, 0×6)
Another wicket for the Royals as Hogg bowls the wrong one to wrong-turn Taylor. His pull-shot is simply top edged to Goswami. Sehwag is slowly ticking on at the other end.
WICKET! Delhi 96-2 after 10.1 overs
Kevin Pietersen c Shah b Watson 36 (34b, 3×4, 1×6)
So that’s the end of KP’s stint in the IPL this year. He doesn’t quite time his high off-drive and Shah takes a good catch at long-off. Delhi still look comfortable though.
AFP
Delhi 84-1 after 8 overs
Sehwag 50, Pietersen 29
Classic from Sehwag as he brings up his fifty with an upper-cut over third-man. This is his fifth fifty in a row in this year’s IPL and he becomes the only man to do so in T20 cricket. Pietersen on the other end has quickly moved to 29 with some typical boundaries a cracking six over mid-wicket.
Delhi 51-1 after 5 overs
Sehwag 39, Pietersen 8
Delhi scoring at almost the same rate as Rajasthan were. Sehwag taking full advantage of the power play. The asking rate has come down to around six runs an over but a few good deliveries can change that.
Delhi 28-1 after 3 overs
Sehwag 21, Pietersen 7
Sehwag has suddenly let loose. He smacks a couple of boundaries at the end of the 2nd over before scoring another three in the 3rd. Pietersen is out to bat now and this his last appearance in this year’s IPL.
WICKET! Delhi 0-1 after 0.3 overs
Mahela Jayawardene lbw b Chavan 0 (3b, 0×4, 0×6)
That is some start for the Royals! Chavan is ecstatic as the umpire raises his finger after an lbw appeal.
Delhi come out to bat
Rajasthan 141-6 after 20 overs
Goswami 18, Chavan 7
Only one boundary in the last two overs, as Chavan beats the man at mid-wicket for four. Apart from that, it was surprising to see their innings fizzle out after Rahane was out. Delhi look very confident going to the dressing room at the break.
WICKET! Rajasthan 128-6 after 18.1 overs
Rahul Dravid b Morkel 57 (43b, 7×4, 0×6)
Dravid brings up his fifty with a slobber-knocker past the covers but then the 19th over specialist Morkel comes in to bowl. Dravid goes for a slog, gets an inside edge and it has led onto the stumps.
Rajasthan 115-5 after 16 overs
Dravid 47, Goswami 10
It is like an achievement for Rajasthan to not lose a wicket since three overs. Dravid is still going strong as can be seen with a quality boundary past mid-wicket.
WICKET! Rajasthan 95-5 after 13 overs
Ashok Menaria c Pietersen b Negi 2 (4b, 0×4, 0×6)
Crazy batting from the Royals. They are wasting the openers’ good start by playing bad shots straight to fielders. Menaria needlessly tries to pull at a spinning delivery and Pietersen takes it at deep mid-wicket. Negi is suddenly a hero.
WICKET! Rajasthan 93-4 after 12.2 overs
Brad Hodge c Sehwag b Negi 1 (2b, 0×4, 0×6)
This is a bit weird after such a fantastic start. Dravid remains at one end of the crease as wickets fall on the other. Hodge’s cut shot is straight to the man at point.
WICKET! Rajasthan 90-3 after 11.4 overs
Owais Shah c Ojha b Yadav 1 (3b, 0×4, 0×6)
Owais Shah, who has been brilliant so far in the IPL, does not wait before going for a big shot. He tries to smack one over the leg side, it takes an edge and flies behind for the keeper to collect.
WICKET! Rajasthan 87-2 after 10.5 overs
Shane Watson b Negi 8 (9b, 0×4, 1×6)
Shane Watson does not last long after his six over mid-wicket. He tries to slog another one and Negi’s spin beats him. The off-stump takes a beating.
WICKET! Rajasthan 71-1 after 8.4 overs
Ajinkya Rahane c Sehwag b Negi 42 (32b, 7×4, 0×6)
That was the only bad choice Rahane made in his innings. He goes for a reverse sweep and the ball goes straight to point.
Rajasthan 62-0 after 7 overs
Rahane 40, Dravid 19
Any little width Rahane gets, he punishes the ball with a boundary. Another one flows off his bat past the covers as Delhi cannot cope with these two.
Rajasthan 50-0 after 5 overs
Rahane 31, Dravid 17
What a third over for the Royals! Rahane and Dravid smashing four boundaries in it before hacking another couple in the fifth. And all these shots are pure quality…no slogging or improvisations, just perfect textbook shots.
Rajasthan 16-0 after 2 overs
Rahane 9, Dravid 6
Dravid and Rahane is one the most effective opening pair in the IPL so far. Rahane has already powered a couple of boundaries—one nicely placed towards square-leg before slapping one past covers. Dravid also plays a wristy stroke through mid-wicket. Good start for the Royals.
Rajasthan have won the toss and will bat first
Rajasthan Royals: R Dravid, AM Rahane, SR Watson, OA Shah, SP Goswami, BJ Hodge, AL Menaria, GB Hogg, AA Chavan, A Singh, Pankaj Singh
Delhi Daredevils: V Sehwag, DPMD Jayawardene, KP Pietersen, LRPL Taylor, NV Ojha†, IK Pathan, Y Nagar, P Negi, M Morkel, S Nadeem, UT Yadav
