Sehwag, Warner script Delhi’s much needed win

It was a run feast, almost made to order, for the packed house at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Looking to win back the confidence of its fans, Delhi Daredevils zoomed to its highest ever tally of 231 for four and then met the huge public demand by stopping Kings XI Punjab at 202 for six in 20 overs. 

The 29–run victory, the second for the host, ended the visiting team's three-match winning sequence that came against all three champion sides seen so far in the Indian Premier League. 

If Kings XI still had positives to take from the defeat, Shaun Marsh once again had a lot to do with it. The stylish left-hander scored a whirlwind 95 before being out in the 18th over.

Though Kings XI never threatened to spoil Daredevils' party, the team had its moments. 

Gilchrist set the pace after losing the dangerous Paul Valthaty early. David Hussey, playing his first match kept Marsh company briefly but the required scoring-rate kept mounting. Undeterred, Marsh remained in the hunt for quick runs and was eventually out attempting his seventh six to reach the three-figure mark. 

Strangely, the evening was full of ironies. The ‘green' pitch kept the batsmen on top and the bowlers, particularly of the faster variety, on the hop. The side lowest placed, in the 10-team league table, posted the highest aggregate of the season. 

Delhi Daredevils' explosive opening duo of skipper Virender Sehwag and David Warner almost shut the door on Kings XI by hoisting 146 in under 12 overs. 

If the team eventually managed to post the third highest IPL total it was thanks to the last three overs yielding 45 runs, with Venugopala Rao and Naman Ojha doing their bit. 

In all, Daredevils batsmen hit 12 sixes and 20 boundaries to make the Kings XI bowlers look most ordinary on this day. 

Kings XI responded with 11 sixes and 21 boundaries as the Saturday crowd got its money's worth. 

With Sehwag and Warner in full flow, a torrent of big hits was only to be expected. Both players smashed 77 runs each, hitting eight sixes and 15 fours between them. The boundaries appeared smaller and the bat wider on a day when 40 overs produced 433 runs!

Sehwag smashed three successive sixes but holed out in the same over from Hussey. Warner was also out attempting the maximum. 

Even while enjoying the sweet victory, Sehwag will surely be worried about his bowlers form. Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar and James Hopes were punished with disdain. 

Agarkar, in particular, was smashed by Gilchrist for boundaries off the first four deliveres of his first over. He later collected two wickets during the desperate slog by the opposition. 

Delhi Daredevils: D. Warner c Harris b Praveen 77 (48b, 7x4, 4x6), V. Sehwag c Karthik b D. Hussey 77 (35b, 8x4, 4x6), Y. Nagar c Harris b Nayar 11 (9b, 1x4, 1x6), Venugopal Rao (not out) 28 (15b, 3x4, 1x6), A. Finch c Karthik b Chawla 3 (5b), N. Ojha (not out) 19 (8b, 1x4, 2x6); Extras (lb-2, w-14): 16; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 231. 

Fall of wickets: 1-146, 2-164, 3-179, 4-184. 

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Praveen 4-0-45-1, Harris 4-0-48-0, Srivastava 4-0-46-0, Nayar 2-0-22-1, Chawla 4-0-36-1, Valthaty 1-0-13-0, D. Hussey 1-0-19-1. 

Kings XI Punjab: A. Gilchrist b Aaron 42 (33b, 8x4, 1x6), P. Valthaty c Nagar b Irfan 14 (10b, 2x6), S. Marsh c Sehwag b M. Morkel 95 (46b, 9x4, 6x6), D. Karthik c Sehwag b Agarkar 6 (5b, 1x4), D. Hussey c Sehwag b Hopes 20 (10b, 2x6), A. Nayar (not out) 17 (13b, 3x4), S. Singh c Hopes b Agarkar 2 (4b), R. Harris (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-2, w-1, nb-2): 5; Total (for six wkts. in 20 overs): 202. 

Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-97, 3-117, 4-153, 5-184, 6-195. 

Delhi Daredevils bowling: M. Morkel 4-0-32-1, Irfan 3-1-26-1, Aaron 4-0-36-1, Nagar 1-0-16-0, Agarkar 4-0-47-2, Hopes 4-0-43-1.