IPL 2018, KKR vs DD: 5 reasons why Delhi lost

The 13th match of IPL 2018 was a homecoming of sorts for Gautam Gambhir. The Delhi lad who had led 2 successful campaigns for KKR, returned to his second home. Delhi won the toss and put the Knight riders into bat.

KKR had a strong start courtesy a 50 run partnership between Robin Uthappa and Chris Lynn. Both fell in quick succession but a sumptuous knock from Nitish Rana and some ferocious hitting by Andre Russell ensured that Kolkata posted a healthy total of 200 runs.

In reply, Delhi got off to a terrible start as Jason Roy was stumped in the very first over. Gambhir and Iyer followed soon after as Delhi were left reeling at 24/3. Pant and Maxwell tried to make a match out of it but once they fell it was all over for the daredevils. Let us have a look at the 5 reasons why the Delhi Daredevils lost the contest.

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#1 Nitish Rana comes of age

Nitish Rana had a great start to his IPL career lasts season with Mumbai Indians. However, he faded towards the fag end of the tournament. Having been given the responsibility of batting at no. 4, Nitish Rana is finally showing his true mettle.

Rana started in great fashion today tonking the leggie Tewatia for a six. He then smashed Shahbaz Nadeem for a four and a six in the next over. Rana wasn’t done there as he smashed the senior pro-Chris Morris for 2 fours and 2 sixes. His free-flowing 59 runs of 35 balls got KKR’s innings going in the middle overs.

#2 Jason Roy drops the “Superman”

They say catches win you matches. This saying couldn’t be more apt for today’s game. Andre Russell has been in imperious form this season and when he offers you a chance you gotta take it. Mohammad Shami deceived Russell with a shortish slow delivery.

The big Jamaican could only manage to skew the ball off the bottom of the bat. Roy got around the ball but did not time his dive well enough and the chance went begging. Russell was batting on the score of 7 at that stage. He would go on to murder Delhi’s bowling, making 41 of just 12 balls. His cameo changed the whole complexion of the game.

#3 Mohammad Shami disappoints again

Delhi Daredevils team management has huge faith in Mohammad Shami’s abilities. After having a disappointing outing last season, he was again bought by the Daredevils for a big amount. However, Shami has again failed to repay the faith Delhi has shown in him.

Like the previous game against Mumbai, Shami went for plenty today as well. He was hammered for 3 sixes in the 15th over by Russell. The carnage did not end there as Russell again hammered him for 3 sixes in the next over as well.

Shami went for a whopping 53 off his 4 overs. Its high time that the Indian pacer turns his game around otherwise he will soon be benched by Delhi.

#4 Disastrous start with the bat

Chasing a huge score of 201, Delhi got off to the worst possible start as the hero of the last match Jason Roy was brilliantly stumped by Dinesh Karthik in the very first over. He was soon followed to the hut by Shreyas Iyer who gave catching practice to Nitish Rana at first slip off the bowling of Andre Russell.

The game was touted as the homecoming of Gautam Gambhir but he could not do much of note as he dragged the ball onto his stumps. The scorecard read 24/3 at that stage. Delhi had lost half the game in the first 3 overs itself.

#5 Kuldeep’s twin strikes

Delhi made a stupendous recovery after being reduced to 24/3 early on in their innings. Some breathtaking counter-attack by Rishabh Pant and Glenn Maxwell ensured that Delhi was back in the game.

The ball was thrown to Kuldeep Yadav by Dinesh Karthik to break the partnership and the left-arm Chinaman did not disappoint. Kuldeep got lucky as Pant could only manage to deposit a half-tracker into the safe hands of Piyush Chawla at mid-wicket.

He wasn’t done there. In his next over, he got the crucial scalp of Maxwell. After being hit for 2 sixes by Maxwell, he bowled a short delivery into the body of Maxwell who managed to hit it straight down the throat of Robin Uthappa. Kuldeep could not believe his luck as 2 average looking deliveries got him 2 big wickets.

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