Vettori, Sehwag, star in Daredevils’ win over Kings XI

CAPE TOWN - Delhi Daredevils rode on Daniel Vettori’s three-wicket burst and rain interference to beat Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets in the truncated Indian Premier League match here Sunday.

Daredevils, deciding to field, restricted Kings XI Punjab to 104 for seven in the 12-overs-a-side T20 match that was delayed by an hour and half and had three rain breaks.

The target was set to 54 from six overs following another rain break after 1.5 overs with Virender Sehwag (32) and Gautam Gambhir (15) at crease. The in-form openers came back to knock off the remaining runs in 4.3 overs.

New Zealand’s wily left-arm spinner Vettori put skids on the explosive start of Kings XI openers.

Ravi Bopara (22) and Karan Goel (38) hit 67 in six overs. Bopara and Goel scored freely off fast bowlers before Sehwag handed the ball to Vettori, who immediately responded trapping Bopara leg before. Goel was impressive in his 21-ball blitzkrieg smashing three sixes and three fours. Bopara hit two sixes.

Vettori conceded only one run off his first over to claim Bopara’s wicket. He then removed Kumar Sangakkara, who top-edged the spinner to fast bowler Dirk Nannes at short fine-leg.

Yuvraj Singh found his touch, hitting Nannes and Vettori for sixes before being run out. Punjab lost two more wickets in three balls. Mahela Jayawardene held out at long-off off Vettori while Piyush Chawla was run out without facing a ball.

Gautam Gambhir set the tempo of Daredevils’ chase, stroking two fours in the first over off Irfan Pathan. Sehwag carried on the momentum with his blistering strokeplay, hitting Yusuf Abdulla for two fours and a six in the first five balls of the second over before covers were drawn due to rain.

The target was reduced to 54 after the break and Sehwag stepped up the attack. They needed 30 in 25 balls and Sehwag struck another boundary in the unfinished Abdulla over to take 19 runs off it. Sehwag hit one more six and one four to finish the match in just 16 balls.