Viru-Warner shine in Daredevils victory over KXIP

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils stopped Kings XI Punjab's three-match winning streak, beating them by 29 runs for their maiden home win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the packed Ferozeshah Kotla here Saturday.

Daredevils' explosive openers, skipper Virender Sehwag and David Warner struck blistering 77s each and their 146-run stand, on a green top, got the home team to a mammoth 231 for four in 20 overs. Warner was also adjudged as the Man of the Match.

Shaun Marsh played a brilliant innings of 95 but it went in vain as Kings XI could only get 202 for six in 20 overs and suffered their second loss from their fifth match.

After their second loss from five matches, Kings XI slipped one place to the fourth spot while the Daredevils remained at the 10th spot following their second win from five matches.

Chasing the season's highest total was always a tough task for the visitors and they needed some luck as well. Skipper Adam Gilchrist (42) got a reprieve in the second ball when wicketkeeper Naman Ojha dropped him off Morne Morkel.

Gilchrist made the most of the life and went on to score a 33-ball 42. With opener Paul Valthaty (14), he added 25 runs before the partnership was broken by Irfan Pathan, who had the in-form Valthaty caught at point by Yogesh Nagar in the fourth over.For Pathan, it was a sort of revenge after he was clubbed by Valthaty for two sixes in his previous over, during which the Mumbaikar was also dropped by Venugopal Rao.

Gilchrist then joined forces with Marsh and raised hopes of the Kings XI fight-back with their 72-run stand for the second wicket. Gilchrist thwacked Pathan, who was bought by Daredevils for $1.9 million, for three fours in the sixth over and Marsh welcomed debutant Varun Aaron with a six and a four as 13 runs came off the seventh over.

Veteran Ajit Agarkar also found himself at the receiving end of Gilchrist's fury as he was hammered for four consecutive fours for a 16-run over. The captain finally departed in the 11th over, after hitting eight fours and six, when he was castled by Aaron's in-swinging delivery.

From then on, Kings XI kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and Marsh waged a lonely battle, smashing nine fours and six sixes in his 46-ball stay.

Earlier, Daredevils made the most of a lost toss as both Sehwag and Warner displayed power-hitting right from the start. The ball came on easily to the bat and the duo found stroke play easy on the greenish top, on which the match was being played for the first time in the season.

Warner started the proceeding by hitting Praveen Kumar for two consecutive fours as 10 runs came from the first over. Sehwag was also severe on Praveen hammering him for five fours in the 13 balls that he faced off the medium pacer. Off the five fours, three came off the sixth over in which Praveen bleeded 17 runs.

The 100-run stand came up in the ninth over when David Warner smacked Paul Valthaty for a six and four for a 13-run over.

Gilchrist decided to introduce his compatriot David Hussey in the 12th over and his first three balls were clobbered for sixes by Sehwag. But Hussey had the last laugh in the fourth delivery, as Sehwag went for the fourth six but holed out to Dinesh Kathik at deep midwicket. Sehwag hit eight fours and four sixes in his 35-ball stay.

Warner also perished in his attempt to hit out Kumar and was caught at long-on by Ryan Harris. Warner's 48-ball innings was studded with seven fours and four sixes.

A late charge by Daredevils' in-form batsman Venugopal Rao, who scored an unbeaten 28 off 15 balls, saw the home team registering the highest total this season. Rao was ably supported by Naman Ojha, who scored 19 off eight balls, and the duo added 47 runs for their unbroken fifth wicket stand. Source: IANS