Daredevils snatch thrilling 1-run win over Rajasthan Royals in IPL

New Delhi, Apr 29: Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 84 went in vain as Delhi Daredevils (DD) tamed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by one run in a thrilling encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the jam-packed Ferozshah Kotla stadium here today.

Comfortably placed at 138 for one after 18 overs, Royals were set for an easy victory but Morne Morkel’s penultimate over completely changed the complexion of the match as he gave away just three runs and also scalped the key wicket of Brad Hodge (22) to turn the tables around.

Needing 12-runs of the last over off Umesh Yadav, the visitors could only manage 10-runs as the Daredevils wicket-keeper Naman Ojha inflicted a run-out of the last ball to put the hosts in the driver’s seat.

Rajasthan needed two runs off the final ball after Rahane smashed Yadav for a six and took two in the fourth and fifth balls. However, Rahane missed the last ball and Owais Shah was run-out while attempting a single.

Chasing a victory target of 153-runs, Royals rode on 99-runs opening partnership between skipper Rahul Dravid (40) and Rahane and looked set to upsetDelhiin their own backyard but the home bowlers hold their nerves in the last two overs to keep on heir winning momentum and lead the points table with 14 points.

Dravid played the supporting role to a menacing Rahane but it did not stop the veteran from hitting five boundaries in his innings that used 38 balls. The breakthrough forDelhicame when Dravid found Ajit Agarkar at the other end of a lofted shot off Irfan Pathan’s bowling.

Earlier in the day, Daredevils rode on Sehwag’s belligerent knock of 63 to post a target of 153 runs against Rajasthan Royals in the 39th match of the fifth edition of the IPL.

Sehwag, who was in ripe form, gave his team a good start despite losing his deputy Mahela Jayawardene (6) and English import Kevin Pietersen (5) cheaply.

The dashing right-hander again played a cracker of an innings, slamming eight boundaries and two sixes en route to his personal march towards the orange cap and completing his fourth consecutive half-century in the t20 tournament until Brad Hogg got rid of the explosive batsman to haltDelhi’s run charge.

While Mahela was removed by Pankaj Singh, Pietersen fell to Ankeet Chavan.

The other end though, was in complete shambles with Pankaj Singh returning to claim Ross Taylor (25 off 35) and Amit Singh dislodging Naman Ojha (11 off 11).

Runs were scarce and boundaries soon became extinct as it was only some power-hitting in the final over as Yogesh Nagar slammed two sixes and a four that saw the home team reach their eventual target.

Earlier, Daredevils who won the toss and elected to bat retained the same side while the Rahul Dravid-led Rajasthan Royals made three changes including Amit Singh in place of Siddharth Trivedi.

Scoreboard of Daredevils against Rajasthan Royals in IPL: Delhi Daredevils innings Mahela Jayawardene c Hogg b Pankaj Singh 6 Virender Sehwag c Menaria b Hogg 63 Kevin Pietersen c Dravid b Chavan 5 Ross Taylor b Pankaj Singh 25 Yogesh Nagar c Chavan b Singh 27 Naman Ojha c Dravid b Singh 11 rfanI Pathan not out 7 Ajit Agarkar not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 3) 8 Total (20 overs) 152 for 6 wickets Did not bat: Morne Morkel, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-19, 3-99, 4-104, 5-125, 6-148 Bowling : Chavan 4-0-31-1, Pankaj Singh 4-0-25-2, A Singh 4-0-41-2, Cooper 4-0-19-1, Hogg 4-0-31-1 Rajasthan Royals innings Rahul Dravid c Agarkar b Pathan 40 Ajinkya Rahane not out 84 Bradd Hodge lbw b Morkel 22 Owais Shah run out (Ojha) 1 Extras (w 4) 4 Total (20 overs) 151 for 3 wickets Did not bat: Sreevats Goswami, Ashok Menaria, Kevon Cooper, Brad Hogg, Ankeet Chavan, Ami Singh, Pankaj Singh Fall of wickets: 1-99, 2-141, 3-151 Bowling: Pathan 4-0-27-1, Nadeem 4-0-30-0, Morkel 4-0-26-1, Yadav 4-0-35-0, Agarkar 4-0-33-0. (UNI)