Daredevils win despite Yuvraj Singh’s all-round heroics

Match Report – IPL4: Pune Warriors v Delhi Daredevils, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai, 17 April 2011

Delhi were the only team not to have a win under their belt so far in the competition, and they registered their first win by chasing down a mammoth total in style. Sehwag chose to bowl first, but the decision seemed to backfire until the last five overs of the match, when Venugopal Rao and Aaron Finch pulled off a stunning finish.

Delhi started with the spin of Rao, but Jesse Ryder hammered him for two massive sixes over long-on to collect 14 off the first over. After three quiet overs and the loss of Graeme Smith, Ryder hit Irfan Pathan for a four and a pulled six before he launched into Umesh Yadav for four successive fours. Hopes removed Manhas who was looking good, but Yuvraj Singh joined Ryder to take the assault to another level.

After completing 50 off just 24 balls, Ryder holed out off the bowling of Shahbaz Nadeem. He made a whirlwind 60 off 27 balls with 5 fours and as many sixes. Despite losing two more wickets at the other end, Yuvraj continued his calculated hitting and rounded off the innings perfectly with a top-edged four and three stunning hits for six in the last over bowled by Ashok Dinda. Pune ended with 187/5 and looked like on their way to third successive win at the break.

Warner and Sehwag provided their team perfect beginning by putting on 75 in 7 overs thanks to the former who was more enterprising of the two. After hitting Parnel for three fours in an over, he carted Alfonso Thomas for a four and two thumping sixes on consecutive deliveries. After Warner was run out for 46 (28b, 6×4,2×6), Sehwag was cleaned up by ecstatic Ryder for a 23-ball 37 laced with 6 fours.

Sehwag’s was a telling blow as Delhi panicked afterwards losing three quick wickets in the process. Yuvraj was the main destroyer, who removed Irfan Pathan and Naman Ojha on successive balls. At 120 for 5 with 68 needed off the last six overs, Delhi were looking down the barrel. But Venugopal Rao and Aaron Finch brought them back with a match-winning stand of 47 runs in 4.1 overs. After Rao hit a six each of Yuvraj and Rahul Sharma, finch propelled his team into advantage by hitting Shrikant Wagh for back-to-back sixes in the 18th over.

With 21 off two overs, Yuvraj removed both Finch 25 (12b,1×4,2×6) and Rao 31 (20b,1×4,3×6) but not before the latter had collected a four and a six to bring the equation down to 8 from 6. James hopes hit Ryder for a six and four to finish off the match in style. It was a morale-boosting win for Delhi who were looking a shadow of themselves from the previous tournaments.

Result: Delhi 19o/7 (Warner 46, Yuvraj 4/29) beat Pune 187/5 (Yuvraj 66, Ryder 60, Nadeem 2/39) by 3 wickets

Man of the match: Yuvraj Singh (Pune Warriors)