JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – An impressive display by Delhi bowlers helped them to hammer the Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets, allowing the Daredevils to reclaim top spot in the Indian Premier League standings.
The Knight Riders were restricted to 123 for eight to virtually put themselves out of the contest.
Delhi overhauled Kolkata’s score with 17 balls to spare and lead the table with 14 points. They have a game in hand over nearest rivals Chennai Super Kings, who trail by a point. Kolkata remained rooted to the bottom with just three points after losing eight of their 10 matches.
In Port Elizabeth, the Mumbai Indians condemned the Bangalore Royal Challengers to a 16-run defeat. Chasing Mumbai’s total of 157 for two, Bangalore could only limp to 141 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.
The Delhi bowlers excelled after captain Gautam Gambhir sent Kolkata in to bat on a cool, clear afternoon. Fast bowlers Ashish Nehra (two for 29) and Dirk Nannes (two for 15) reduced them to nine for three. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra then burst through the middle-order to claim three for 14 in four overs. Former Indian captain Saurav Ganguly scored 44 and countryman Ajit Agarkar blasted 39 off 29 deliveries to at least set the Daredevils a target of over a hundred.
Opener David Warner flayed 36 off 23 balls to set Delhi on the road to victory before South African AB de Villiers (40 not out) and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik (17 not out) steered them past Kolkata’s total in an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 56.
The win meant Delhi need to win just two of their remaining five matches to secure a semi-final place.
At St George’s Park, Mumbai managed to upstage Bangalore in the battle between the two struggling sides.
Ajinkya Rahane (62 not out) and South African JP Duminy (59 not out) hammered the Bangalore bowling in their unbroken third-wicket stand of 104 in 12 overs.
Bangalore’s run-chase failed to gather any momentum as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the pick of the Mumbai bowlers with two for 15 from his four overs.
Mumbai are sixth in the eight-team league with nine points, while Bangalore are one point adrift in seventh.
