IPL7: With Gautam Gambhir back in form, KKR seal comfortable win over Delhi Daredevils

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils continued their poor form at home, slumping to an eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders at the sparsely attended Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here on Wednesday.

Chasing 161, Knight Riders romped home with 10 balls to spare, losing just two wickets along the way. This was the third consecutive home defeat for Delhi, who are now on four points after eight matches. KKR meanwhile, took their tally to six from the same number of games.

KKR captain Gautam Gambhir and fellow opener Robin Uthappa (47) gave the visitors a good start, adding 106 runs before the latter was trapped lbw by Wayne Parnell in the 12th over. Gambhir was gifted a couple of lives as he was dropped by keeper Dinesh Karthik in the sixth over and then by off-spinner Shahbaz Nadeem four overs later.

The left-hander made full use of the escapes, plundering 69 runs from 56 deliveries. Karthik made amends for his error later, pulling down an acrobatic effort to get rid of Gambhir in the 18th over. But by then Kolkata had all but wrapped up the match.

Earlier, the Daredevils’ lost wickets at regular intervals before posting 160/5. Electing to bat, skipper Kevin Pietersen saw his decision backfire as none of his batsmen managed to stick around for too long.

Daredevils will thank J.P. Duminy and Kedar Jadhav since the duo restored a modicum of respectability to the score with some lower order fireworks. Coming together after the Daredevils were reduced to 105/5 in the 16th over, the duo stitched together a partnership of 55 runs off 25 balls.

Duminy was the top scorer for the hosts. The South African was unbeaten on 40 off just 28 balls and fittingly, ended the hosts’ innings with a six off the final ball of the innings by Sunil Narine. Karthik also did well with the bat, scoring 36 runs off 22 balls with four boundaries and an audacious scoop off Jaques Kallis over the fine leg boundary for a six.

But the rest of the Delhi batsmen continued to disappoint. Quinton de Kock started the Delhi innings on a promising note with a boundary off the very first ball. But KKR did not take too long to earn their first breakthrough as Umesh Yadav sent back de Kock with his third ball. Pietersen continued with his poor form, scoring only six runs.

Scoreboard:
Delhi Daredevils: Q de Kock c Gambhir b Yadav 10, M. Vijay c Narine b Kallis 24, K. Pietersen (run out) 6, D. Karthik c Kallis b Shakib 36, J.P. Duminy (not out) 40, L. Shukla  b Narine 10, K. Jadhav (not out) 26. Extras (lb6, w2) 8. Total (for five wickets in 20 overs) 160.

FoW: 1-14, 2-26, 3-61, 4-85, 5-105.
Bowling: Suryakumar 1-0-8-0, J. Kallis 4-0-38-1, Yadav 4-0-26-1, Shakib 4-0-13-1, Narine 4-0-38-1, Vinay 3-0-31-0.

Kolkata Knight Riders: R. Uthappa lbw b Parnell 47, G. Gambhir c Karthik b Parnell 69, M. Pandey (not out) 23, J. Kallis (not out) 10. Extras (lb11, w1) 12. Total (for two wickets in 18.2 overs) 161.

FoW: 1-106, 2-151.
Bowling: Shami 4-0-23-0, Parnell 4-0-21-2, Shukla 2-0-19-0, Kaul 3-0-29-0, Duminy 2-0-24-0, Nadeem    3.2-0-34-0.