Delhi: Chasing 163 to win, Ajinkya Rahane scored an unbeaten 63 and shared a 59-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja as Rising Pune Supergiants registered a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Delhi Daredevils in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium on Friday.
It was well played in the end by Rahane, but he may not have been able to coast like he did had Daredevils made 10-15 runs more, which could have happened so easily had Sam Billings or Carlos Brathwaite batted a little longer.
Both teams made multiple changes as Rising Pune Supergiants captain MS Dhoni opted to bowl against Delhi Daredevils.
Supergiants’ changes were all Australian as they included the two latest additions to their squad – Usman Khawaja and George Bailey – for Peter Handscomb and the injured Steven Smith. Dhoni said his choice to bowl was because his side had not been able to defend scores well so far.
Rising Pune Supergiants restricted Delhi to 162 for seven and the Daredevils got off to a poor start losing the early wicket of Rishabh Pant, the hero of the last match against Gujarat Lions with a brilliant half-century, after being put in to bat on a slightly two-paced pitch.
The home side’s ploy to open with Sanju Samson and Pant didn’t work as pacer Ashok Dinda clean bowled Pant with a length ball in the third over.
Pant (2) failed to connect the ball properly as a regular length ball from Dinda angled across to uproot his off stump.
At the fifth wicket, West Indian all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite (20), who was the Man of the Match in the previous game at the Kotla against Kolkata Knight Riders, joined Duminy at the crease and the duo added a quickfire 27.
Continuing his brilliant form with the bat, Brathwaite clobbered leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin for two sixes in the same over before dispatching Boland out of the midwicket boundary. But the bowler packed him back on the very next ball with a slower short delivery and he was caught by Perera at the square leg boundary.
When Pune batted, Amit Mishra broke the partnership of Rahane and Khawaja, getting the latter out for 30.
Saurabh Tiwary fell to Imran Tahir for 21 but Rahane took a single to complete his fifty off 38 balls.
A poor over saw 5 wides from Mohammad Shami after Dhoni took a single off the first ball and afterwards Pune took full control, with Thisara Perera smacking a couple of sixes near the end.
Brief scores:
Rising Pune Supergiants 166 for 3 (Rahane 63 not out, Tahir 2-26) beat Delhi Daredevils 162 for 7 (Duminy 34, Bhatia 2-22, Boland 2-31) by seven wickets.
