| 0.0 : Hello and welcome to game no. 26 of this year's Indian T20 League and it is a clash between Kolkata and Delhi in the former's den. The hosts will be delighted to get back to familiar conditions after they were blown away by Chennai in unfamiliar conditions. They though are still nicely placed on the table and they will be eager to get back to winning ways. A win here will see them remain second on the table, however, a win for their opponents will see them break into the top 4. They have momentu |
| Pitch Report - Ian Bishop says that the seamers can bowl the short ball as it could be a good tactic but that can also travel if not bowled properly. Informs that it is a well-grassed surface and the ball won't turn a lot but it will skid and slide on. Ends by saying that dew might be a factor so chasing should be better. |
| TOSS - Delhi win the toss and they elect to bowl first. |
| Shreyas Iyer says they want to bowl first, the wicket looks like a belter and he wants to see how it plays. Mentions they have done well chasing and hence, they want to chase. Informs Keemo Paul comes in for Sandeep Lamichhane. |
| Dinesh Karthik says the last game was an aberration, they did not expect the wicket to play like that and they are now looking forward to this one. Informs they have three forced changes, Joe Denly, Lockie Ferguson and Carlos Brathwaite come in for Harry Gurney, Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn. The forced changes are because one is down with flu while one has an injury scare. |
| Delhi (Playing XI) - Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer(C), Rishabh Pant(WK), Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Axar Patel, Rahul Tewatia, Keemo Paul (IN), Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma. |
| Kolkata (Playing XI) - Joe Denly (IN), Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(WK/C), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite (IN), Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson (IN), Prasidh Krishna. |
| Lisa Sthalekar is having a chat with Sourav Ganguly. Dada is not too perturbed with the fact that he was playing for Kolkata for so long but is in Delhi's think-tank now. Feels that the wicket will be good and run-supportive and adds that people come to see only run fests. Is impressed with the young talent in Delhi and hopes that their career paths are defined in the right way. |
| Simon Katich rings the bell and we are all set for the action to begin now! The Delhi players make their way out to the middle. They are followed by a new opening pair for Kolkata, Joe Denly and Shubman Gill. The former will take strike and he will be facing Ishant Sharma. Here we go... |
| 0.1 : I Sharma to Joe Denly, OUT! KABOOM! What a start that is to the game. A wicket off the very first ball. Joe Denly bags a golden duck on his Kolkata debut. A top, top nut to get first up. That swung in like a banana from way outside off. It is also on a fuller length. Denly ends up playing against the swing as he tries to drive it through the off side. He misses and his off stump goes for a walk. Replays show that the ball has flicked the pads before hitting the stumps. Delhi are pumped up h |
| Robin Uthappa is the new batsman in. |
| 0.2 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Full and outside off, watchfully pushed towards point. |
| 0.3 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Landed outside off, watchfully pushed towards point again. |
| 0.4 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Play and a miss. Ishant is making the ball talk. On a length, just outside off, Uthappa looked to defend but the ball just moved off the surface a bit and beat the outside edge. Did not carry through to the keeper. |
| 0.5 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Good pace from Ishant. In the 140s. This one nips back in a long way from outside off, Uthappa fails to counter the movement and is hit on the thighs as he looks to flick. |
| 0.6 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Superb bowling. After bringing the previous one in, he gets this one to move away. Uthappa looks to play at that but misses. A sensational WICKET MAIDEN from Ishant. |
| Chris Morris to bowl from the other end. |
| 1.1 : C Morris to S Gill, FOUR! Gill and Kolkata are underway. Starts off with a full ball on the pads, Gill just flicks it with ease through mid-wicket and gets a boundary. |
| 1.2 : C Morris to S Gill, Full and outside off, pushed through the covers for a single. |
| 1.3 : C Morris to R Uthappa, FOUR! Leg side again from Morris and he pays the price for it. Full and straight, Uthappa walks across and flicks it with ease through mid-wicket for a boundary! |
| 1.4 : C Morris to R Uthappa, Full and outside off, driven straight to mid off. |
| 1.5 : C Morris to R Uthappa, Outside off, Robin opens the face of his bat at the last moment and guides it behind point for a single. |
| 1.6 : C Morris to S Gill, Excellent yorker to end the over, dug out for a run. What a contrasting couple of overs - Wicket maiden followed by a 11-run one. |
| 2.1 : I Sharma to S Gill, Bowls a length ball outside off, Gill just keeps it out. |
| 2.2 : I Sharma to S Gill, An outswinger this time, pitching outside off on a fuller length, Gill drives it to covers. |
| 2.3 : I Sharma to S Gill, That's lucky for Gill. It would have been touch and go. Gill taps this length ball to mid on and goes for a quick run. Iyer at mid on, collects the ball quickly and has a shy at the non-striker's end. Luckily for Gill, Iyer did not hit or else he was a goner. |
| 2.4 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Full on off, Robin plays it back to the bowler. |
| 2.5 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Leg bye! Bowls it on a length, pitching on leg, Uthappa goes for the flick but misses and the ball rolls towards point for a leg bye. |
| 2.6 : I Sharma to S Gill, FOUR! Ishant changes length and gets punished. He was bowling full throughout the over and goes for the short one this time. Gill is ready for it as he goes on the back foot and pulls it handsomely through mid-wicket for a four. |
| Kagiso Rabada into the attack now. |
| 3.1 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, On a good length outside off, watchfully defended. |
| 3.2 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, FOUR! Skewed, but safe! On a length outside off, Uthappa looks to go inside out but the bat turns in his hands. Gets a thickish outside edge which flies over point. |
| 3.3 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, The batsman works it down the leg side. |
| 3.4 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, FOUR! Too easy. On the pads, flicked through square leg for the second boundary of this over. |
| 3.5 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, Outside off, punched straight to point. |
| 3.6 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, FOUR! Third boundary of the over! Outside off, Uthappa waits for the ball to come to him and dabs it late past short third man! 12 from the over... |
| 4.1 : I Sharma to S Gill, FOUR! Another short ball and another four. Ishant bowls a leg cutter, short and on off, Gill pulls it with ease for a boundary. |
| 4.2 : I Sharma to S Gill, Full and on the pads, Gill flicks it straight to square leg. |
| 4.3 : I Sharma to S Gill, FOUR! Gill is in some fine form here. Fourth boundary for him. Sharma bowls it on a length on the pads, Gill flicks it uppishly behind square for another boundary. |
| 4.4 : I Sharma to S Gill, Bowls it on a length outside leg and going down with the angle, Gill moves across and pushes it towards point for a single. |
| 4.5 : I Sharma to R Uthappa, Starys on the pads to Robin, who flicks it on the leg side for a single. |
| 4.6 : I Sharma to S Gill, Poor bowling, but there is insurance. Full and straight, Gill flicks it away but straight to deep mid-wicket. A run taken. |
| Axar Patel to bowl now. |
| 5.1 : A Patel to S Gill, Starts off with a slower delivery on off, Gill pushes it back to the bowler. |
| 5.2 : A Patel to S Gill, Similar ball, Gill does the same and punches it back to the bowler. |
| 5.3 : A Patel to S Gill, Bowls it a little wider and outside off, Gill drives it to mid off and takes a run. |
| 5.4 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Down the leg side, played to square leg. |
| 5.5 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Full and down the leg side, Uthappa looks to flick but misses and is hit on the pads. |
| 5.6 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Outside off, pushed straight to point. 41/1 in the Powerplay for Kolkata. |
| Keemo Paul time. |
| 6.1 : K Paul to S Gill, Starts with a length ball outside off, Gill drives it uppishly just above Ingram at covers. The deep fielder keeps it down to two. |
| 6.2 : K Paul to S Gill, No ball! Bowls it outside off on a length, Gill drives it mid on and takes a quick run. |
| FREE HIT time! Time for the first six of the game? |
| K Paul to R Uthappa, SIX! Maximum use of the Free Hit! Poor bowling. Slower ball and that too, short in length. Uthappa waits and pulls it over long on! 50-RUN STAND IS UP! |
| 6.3 : K Paul to R Uthappa, Fuller outside off, Uthappa drives it to covers and takes a run. |
| 6.4 : K Paul to S Gill, FOUR! Take that says Gill. Uthappa hits a six and Gill follows with a four. Paul bowls it outside off on a fuller length, Gill punches it through point for an easy boundary. |
| 6.5 : K Paul to S Gill, Full on off, Gill drives it to mid on and changes strike. |
| 6.6 : K Paul to R Uthappa, Strays on the pads, Uthappa flicks it to mid-wicket and takes a run. |
| 7.1 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Full and outside off, pushed towards cover. |
| 7.2 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Full and outside off, pushed towards long off for a single. |
| 7.3 : A Patel to S Gill, Bowls it slower and outside off, Gill drives it to mid off and takes a single. |
| 7.4 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Changes line and bowls it short, Uthappa rocks back and pulls it hard to deep backward square leg but just for a single. |
| 7.5 : A Patel to S Gill, Fuller on the pads, Gill flicks it to mid-wicket for a run. |
| 7.6 : A Patel to R Uthappa, Ends with a flatter ball darted in on off, Uthappa drives it straight to covers. |
| Kagiso Rabada returns. 1-0-12-0 so far. |
| 8.1 : K Rabada to S Gill, Outside off, punched off the back foot for a single. |
| 8.2 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, Full and outside off, driven straight back. Rabada does well to stick out his right leg and stop the ball. |
| 8.3 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, Excellent bowling this from Rabada. Bowls a slower ball on a yorker length, Uthappa could do nothing but keep it out. |
| 8.4 : K Rabada to R Uthappa, OUT! That is a stunner from Rishabh Pant and Uthappa has to go! The short ball does the trick. A couple were punished earlier but this time, it has resulted in a wicket. Also, the pace. 146.2 kph. No child's play. Robbie looks to pull but clearly is done in by the pace. Too much for him. The ball takes the glove and then lobs behind. Now, about the man doing the glovework. Rishabh Pant. The ball flies after making contact with the glove but Pant takes off too. Leaps f |
| STRATEGIC BREAK. Nitish Rana walks in at number 4, replacing Uthappa. Kolkata not quite running away with the game and Delhi will be happy. The bowling has been decent apart from a few loose balls and do not forget - the hosts are a bit light in batting tonight. Of course, that the batters other than Dre Russ have not fired is another food for thought... |
| 8.5 : K Rabada to N Rana, Outside off, steered towards third man for a single. |
| 8.6 : K Rabada to S Gill, Defended off the back foot by the batsman. 2 runs and a wicket from the over, Rabada's figures read 2-0-14-1. |
| Keemo Paul is back on. 1-0-17-0 so far. |
| 9.1 : K Paul to N Rana, Starts off with a length ball outside off, Rana guides it down to third man for a single. |
| 9.2 : K Paul to S Gill, This one is bowled in full and outside off, Gill drives it straight through covers and picks up a brace. |
| 9.3 : K Paul to S Gill, Fuller on off, Shubman punches it through point for a single. |
| 9.4 : K Paul to N Rana, Continues bowling on a length outside off to Rana, who again guides it down to third man for a run. |
| 9.5 : K Paul to S Gill, Excellent running between the wickets by the two young batsmen. Paul bowls it full on the pads, Gill drives it straight to long on and completes an easy brace. |
| 9.6 : K Paul to S Gill, Bowls it on a length on off, Gill pushes it to mid off and takes a run. |
| Ricky Ponting who is up for an interview says he is happy with the start as it looks a very good wicket. Further adds there is also dew around so he would be happy if they keep them down to 170. Mentions the bowlers have to bowl a good length here and Gill is playing a good innings but they have good pacers to pull things back. States they will look to not bowl Rabada anymore and hold him for the back end for Russell. Credits the way Iyer has been doing as a captain and says he is a terrific you |
| Ishant Sharma is back on. |
| 10.1 : I Sharma to S Gill, Strays on the pads to Gill. He foes for the flick but misses, the ball hits his pads and goes through to the keeper. |
| 10.2 : I Sharma to S Gill, Wide! This time it misses his pads as Sharma bowls the same line. The umpire signals this one as a wide. |
| I Sharma to S Gill, Continues bowling the same line but this time he bowls a low full toss on the pads to Gill. He flicks it through mid-wicket for a run. |
| 10.3 : I Sharma to N Rana, Sharma bowls this one way outside off to Rana. It would have been a wide had he left it but Rana drives it uppishly through covers for another single. |
| 10.4 : I Sharma to S Gill, Fuller on off, Gill drives it mid on and takes a run. |
| 10.5 : I Sharma to N Rana, Continues bowling outside off to the southpaw, who goes for the cut but under edges it to the keeper. |
| 10.6 : I Sharma to N Rana, Wide! Don't know what is his thinking behind bowling so wide to Rana. He again bowls a wide delivery outside off, it is so wide that it is also outside the tramline. Rana goes for the cut but misses. Wided by the umpire. |
| I Sharma to N Rana, This one was a ripper. Ishant bowls it outside off, but on a back of a length. Rana goes for a cut again but misses as the ball just goes past his outside edge. Ishant Sharma finishes with excellent figures of 4-1-21-1. |
| Axar Patel time. 2-0-5-0 so far. |
| 11.1 : A Patel to S Gill, Short and outside off,pulled straight to deep mid-wicket for a single. |
| 11.2 : A Patel to N Rana, Short again, too wide outside off, slapped through point for a run. |
| 11.3 : A Patel to S Gill, SIX! Finally Gill dances! Very few shots in this innings have been aerial from him and eventually Gill decides it is time. Steps out, gets to the pitch of the ball and swings it cleanly over long on! |
| 11.4 : A Patel to S Gill, Full and outside off, pushed through mid off for one. |
| 11.5 : A Patel to N Rana, Too wide outside off, Rana looks to play the reverse sweep but misses. |
| 11.6 : A Patel to N Rana, Full and outside off, now Rana looks to play the slog sweep but misses again. |
| Chris Morris returns. 1-0-11-0 so far. |
| 12.1 : C Morris to S Gill, Fifty for Gill. His 2nd in the Indian T20 League. Morris bowls a length ball outside off, Gill cuts it behind point and straight to third man for a single. |
| 12.2 : C Morris to N Rana, A short ball, outside off, Rana mistimes his heave towards mid on. |
| 12.3 : C Morris to N Rana, SIX! Just over! A length ball, in line of the stumps, Rana flicks it casually over mid-wicket. Dhawan at the ropes leaps but the ball just eludes him. |
| 12.4 : C Morris to N Rana, OUT! A perfect yorker and Rana is out of here! Superb bowling from Morris. Missed the yorker on the previous ball but this time got it right. Right under the bat as Rana looked to go hard through the off side. The LED bails illuminate. Replays show a bit of an inside edge... |
| Dinesh Karthik or Andre Russell? It is Dre Russ... |
| 12.5 : C Morris to A Russell, Morris strightaway bowls a short ball to Russell, it was pitching outside leg and going down so Russell ducks under it and lets it go. Wided. |
| C Morris to A Russell, Excellent change of lengths here. He bowls a tailing yorker to Russell, he toe ends it straight to mid off. |
| 12.6 : C Morris to A Russell, Ends the over with another excellent yorker. Russell does well to get bat on it as he plays it towards cover for a single and keeping the strike for the next over. |
| 13.1 : A Patel to A Russell, Landed in line of the stumps, watchfully defended. |
| 13.2 : A Patel to A Russell, FOUR! CRACK! Short and wide outside off, Russell rocks back and slaps it through point for a boundary! |
| 13.3 : A Patel to A Russell, Punches this off the back foot for a single. |
| 13.4 : A Patel to S Gill, SIX! Gill freeing up now! Full and outside off, plenty of flight, Gill gets down and mows a slog sweep over mid-wicket! |
| 13.5 : A Patel to S Gill, FOUR! More runs. This is turning out to be a bonus over for Kolkata. Iyer wants the spinner to be done and dusted with quickly, before the death overs but this last over of his has taken a pounding. Short and fired down the leg side, 99.1 kph, Gill paddles it past short fine leg where the fielder dives but the ball goes through! |
| 13.6 : A Patel to S Gill, Full and outside off, Shubman looks to go over the top but mistimes it towards mid off. The man is at long off, so the ball does not carry. A run taken. 16 from the over! |
| Keemo Paul is back on. 2-0-25-0 so far. |
| 14.1 : K Paul to S Gill, FOUR! Excellent placement by Gill. Paul starts with a slower ball outside off stump line, Gill reads it early. Backs away and then just cuts it behind point for an excellent boundary. |
| 14.2 : K Paul to S Gill, OUT! CAUGHT! Gill has to depart after a really fine innings. He was looking in excellent touch here but a poor shot does him in the end. Coming to the ball, it was a poor delivery from Paul who bowls it on a length on middle which was going down with the angle. Gill goes for the flick and connects well but the fielding placement by Iyer is excellent as he placed a short fine leg. Axar Patel there makes no mistake and takes an easy catch. |
| Skipper Dinesh Karthik is in. |
| 14.3 : K Paul to D Karthik, Full and around middle, flicked through mid-wicket for a single. |
| 14.4 : K Paul to A Russell, FOUR! Too short and too far down the leg side. Russell helps it past the diving keeper to the fine leg fence. |
| 14.5 : K Paul to A Russell, Flicks this through mid-wicket for a run. |
| 14.6 : K Paul to D Karthik, Full and outside off, driven through the covers for a single. 11 from the over and a wicket from it. Paul's figures read 3-0-36-1. |
| Kagiso Rabada returns. 2-0-14-1 so far. |
| 15.1 : K Rabada to D Karthik, OUT! Catching practice. Karthik comes and Karthik goes. Not the best of balls from Rabada and one can sense by the smile on his face. This is like going to a shop to purchase a gift but then realizing that your wallet is not there. However, you get a return gift for free. Full and down the leg side, Karthik flicks it with excellent timing. However, there is a man waiting for the catch. Shikhar Dhawan it is and he takes it calmly at deep backward square leg. Once agai |
| 0.0 : STRATEGIC BREAK. Kolkata are losing the plot here, they were cruising after the fall of the first wicket when Uthappa and Gill made a comeback and build a 63-run partnership. But once Uthappa departed, the hosts have been a little on the back foot as the scoring runs but some poor shots have resulted in the fall of a couple of more wickets. With 5 overs remaining and another West Indian coming out to bat in the name of Carlos Braithwaite, will Kolkata be able to continue their big-hitting in the |
| 15.2 : K Rabada to A Russell, FOUR! Brilliant batting. Not for the first time this season, have we seen placement and timing apart from power, from Russell. Outside off, on a length, Dre Russ backs away and delicately opens the face of the bat to guide it past short third man. |
| 15.3 : K Rabada to A Russell, Banged in short, outside off, Andre bails out of the shot. |
| 15.4 : K Rabada to A Russell, SIX! CRASH! The first of the night! Full and outside off, Russell gets down and slogs it over deep mid-wicket. Flat hit! |
| 15.5 : K Rabada to A Russell, Down the leg side, flicked away for a single. |
| 15.6 : K Rabada to C Brathwaite, Another freebie on the pads, flicked towards fine leg for a run. 12 from the over, 39 off the last 3! |
| Chris Morris time. 2-0-20-1 so far. |
| 16.1 : C Morris to C Brathwaite, Fuller length ball on off, Carlos pushes it to point and takes a run. |
| 16.2 : C Morris to A Russell, Length ball outside off, Russell pushes it to mid off and takes a run. |
| 16.3 : C Morris to C Brathwaite, Bowls a back of a length ball outside off, Braithwaite punches it with soft hands and the ball rolls towards cover as they pickup a quick single. |
| A bit of sawdust being sprayed around the bowler's landing area. Apparently, Morris was slipping, so he called for the same. |
| 16.4 : C Morris to A Russell, OUT OF MY WAY! Oh dear... poor Brathwaite. He is smiling and thank God for the abdomen guard. This was hammered. Absolutely nailed. Short and outside off, Russell backs away and slaps it straight back. Unfortunately for him and more unluckily for his partner, it is straight at his box. Brathwaite tries to duck but is hit on the box. Ouch. But he shows no pain. Instead, he shows a thumbs up and smiles! Strong man... |
| 16.5 : C Morris to A Russell, SIX! Colossal! Well you don't bowl those to any batsman. Morris bowls a waist height full toss to Russell, he just clobbers it over deep mid-wicket and for a maximum. Russell asks for a no-ball and that looked close but the leg umpire denies to it so it will be a legal delivery. |
| 16.6 : C Morris to A Russell, Full on off, Russell pushes it to mid off and changes strike. |
| 17.1 : K Rabada to A Russell, SIX! What. A. Shot. Rabada can just stand over there and admire the hit. He has followed Russell with a short ball but what has the Jamaican done? He has gone through with the pull shot, with his eyes closed. It sails the distance over square leg! |
| 17.2 : K Rabada to A Russell, A low full toss, on the legs, Dre Russ backs away and hits it over the bowler for a couple. |
| 17.3 : K Rabada to A Russell, SIX! Another mistimed stroke goes the distance! Short and on middle, following the batsman again, Russell looks to pull but the ball takes the top edge and sails over mid-wicket this time! |
| 17.4 : K Rabada to A Russell, Excellent change of line here. He almost bowls an absolute peach of a yorker. Russell could do nothing but keep it out and the ball rolls towards mid on for a single. |
| 17.5 : K Rabada to C Brathwaite, Fuller on off, Carlos drives it to mid off and completes a quick run. |
| 17.6 : K Rabada to A Russell, Ouch! That would hurt. Morris ends the over with a full toss near the waist on middle, Russell goes for the big heave but the ball takes an inside edge and hits him onto the box. He looks in some pain here. |
| A bit of a delay again as the physio comes out. |
| 18.1 : C Morris to C Brathwaite, A length ball, around middle and off, Brathwaite goes across and works it through mid-wicket for a single. |
| 18.2 : C Morris to A Russell, OUT! Caught in the deep! Russell departs. Read that again. DRE RUSS OUT. But another good innings. And let us praise the field placement and the execution of the plan. The strategy was to bowl full and wide outside off and force Russell to go on the off side. It was a low full toss outside off and Andre squeezed it out. Gave it direction but it went straight to Kagiso Rabada at deep backward point who simply did not have to move an inch. Russell goes down on his hau |
| Piyush Chawla walks in at number 8, replacing Russell. |
| 18.3 : C Morris to P Chawla, FOUR! Lucy there for Chawla. Morris changes the pace of the ball here and bowls a off cutter. Chawla goes for the drive as the ball takes the inside edge and rolls fine behind for a boundary. The ball was too close to the leg stump. |
| 18.4 : C Morris to P Chawla, Bowls a yorker to Chawla, who manages to get bat on ball and the ball rolls to the off side for a single. |
| 18.5 : C Morris to C Brathwaite, Fuller and straighter in line of the off stump, Carlos drives it to mid off for a run. |
| 18.6 : C Morris to P Chawla, Another slower ball to end his over, this was pitched outside off on a fuller length, Chawla drives it uppishly over covers for a single. He will keep the strike for the last over. Morris finishes with 2 wickets in his quota. |
| Keemo Paul to bowl the final over. 3-0-36-1 so far. |
| 19.1 : K Paul to P Chawla, Who wants it? Who wants it? Me! Me! Catch put down. What should have been a catch, turns out to be three runs. A length ball, outside off, Chawla looks to swing hard but is done in by the slower one. Gets a top edge which goes straight up in the air. Rahul Tewatia comes in from long on, Kagiso Rabada charges in from long off and the former puts it down. It goes past Rabada and the batsmen, who had already crossed once, jog across for two more. |
| 19.2 : K Paul to C Brathwaite, OUT! Another catching practice. Slower ball again, on a length, Brathwaite pulls it but without much timing. Straight to Rahul Tewatia at deep mid-wicket. |
| Kuldeep Yadav time. With the bat. |
| 19.3 : K Paul to P Chawla, FOUR! Excellent batting! A yorker outside off, Chawla squeezes it behind point and the ball races away! |
| 19.4 : K Paul to P Chawla, Down the leg side, flicked through mid-wicket for a single. |
| 19.5 : K Paul to K Yadav, Dot ball. Outside off, Kuldeep looks to swing hard but misses. |
| 19.6 : K Paul to K Yadav, A top edge to end the innings. Another slower ball, around middle, Kuldeep looks to pull but gets a top edge which balloons over the keeper. Short fine leg gets across and keeps the batsmen down to a couple. KOLKATA FINISH ON 178/7! |
| Hmmm... what are Delhi thinking... what are Delhi thinking...179... chaseable... dew setting in. Not too much damage done by Russell in the end. The visitors will take this. |
| Remember the first ball dismissal of Unmukt Chand by Brett Lee? That Kolkata-Delhi clash of 2013. Today it was Ishant Sharma doing a repeat, taking out Joe Denly. The hosts' top order woes continued and even though Uthappa and Gill added 63 for the second wicket, it came at a slow pace. Gill held one end up and tried to counter-attack but then, was dismissed in the 15th over. |
| 5 overs left. Andre Russell at the crease. What do you expect? Fireworks. And we got plenty of them. The big Jamaican blazed his way through to a 20-ball 45 but then a smart piece of bowling got him out in the 19th over. A good 11 balls missed. Would those have propelled the home side to 200? Well, if a team can chase down 70-plus in 4 overs, they can do anything, can't they? Nothing much from the other batsmen. |
| Delhi bowled well and even in the period where they were not getting wickets, they kept Kolkata reasonably quiet. They leaked some runs towards the latter half of the innings but that is expected. Ishant bowled a wonderful spell of 4-1-21-1 while Axar kept things quiet in the middle. Morris, Rabada and Paul picked up 2 wickets apiece but were on the expensive side. |
| Ishant Sharma is having a chat with Ian Bishop. The Indian fast bowler says he did not expect a wicket maiden to begin with but feels great. Mentions the Test series has given him confidence and he is also working hard which has helped him bowl well here. He advices his batters to take their time and also with the dew and Narine not playing, he feels Delhi have the advantage. |
| 179 to win then. Dew present. Do Kolkata have enough? On the flip side, can Delhi's misfiring batting fire? And also, with this unit, a collapse is never far. Stay tuned... |
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