It just keeps getting worse for Delhi Daredevils (DD), doesn’t it? They seem to have lost their bearings after gaining some momentum early in the tournament. While it was RCB who succumbed under pressure to register their lowest ever IPL score last Sunday, it was Delhi Daredevils’ turn this Sunday.
In the 36th match of IPL 2017, Kings XI Punjab hosted DD and handed them an embarrassing defeat.
Glenn Maxwell, the captain of the home team, won the toss and asked DD to bat first on what looked like a dry track. And much to their delight, Sandeep Sharma struck in the first over as he got Sam Billings to edge one to the keeper.
Extra Cover: IPL 2017, DD vs KXIP: Five mistakes that led to DD's miserable defeat
It just got worse from there on for the visitors. Delhi failed to read the slow nature of the wicket and lost wickets at regular intervals to eventually be bundled out for a measly 67.
But KXIP didn’t mess around with the low total. Martin Guptill took the attack to the opposition right from the word go, and scored an impressive fifty off just 27 balls. The hosts chased down the target in 7.5 overs and won the game comprehensively by 10 wickets.
Let’s take a look at how everyone performed in the game. All ratings have been calibrated on a scale of ten.
Kings X1 Punjab
Martin Guptill – 9.5
It wasn’t easy being Martin Guptill in the first half of the competition, as he didn’t play a single game. But in the two games he has played, he has looked mighty impressive. The intent is very clear – smash everything out of the park.
The aggressive opener backed his impressive 11-ball 23 with a swashbuckling innings of 50. Chasing a low target of 67, Guptill attacked from the word go and doused any hopes of a miraculous comeback among DD players.
Hashim Amla – 8
With his partner firing on all cylinders, all Amla had to do was to give him the strike and he did it perfectly. Amla has been exceptionally consistent this season and with Martin Guptill joining the party, KXIP have found the perfect opening combination just at the right time in the tournament.
Manan Vohra – N/A
The services of Vohra weren’t required as the openers finished the game comprehensively.
Shaun Marsh – N/A
Shaun Marsh didn’t have to bat as Punjab’s openers finished off the game.
Glenn Maxwell – 8.5
The captain of the home team was absolutely brilliant in the game, not with the bat, but with the ball. Maxwell brought himself into the attack when Corey Anderson and Rishabh Pant, both left-handers, were at the crease and cleaned up Pant in his very first over. He went on to bowl three very impressive overs and finished the game with figures of 4-0-12-
Wriddhiman Saha – 6
The wicket-keeper batsman didn’t have anything to do with the bat, but he took an important catch to dismiss Sam Billings in the first over of the game.
Axar Patel – 8
The left-armer was brilliant once again with the ball. He bowled tight lines and maintained the pressure throughout his spell of four overs. He took two wickets in the form of Karun Nair and Chris Morris. In the four overs that he bowled, the lanky spinner conceded just 22 runs.
Mohit Sharma – 7
The medium-pacer ended DD’s innings as he dismissed Shahbaz Nadeem, caught off his own bowling.
Varun Aaron – 8.5
Aaron had a great outing with the ball. In the two overs he bowled, the pacer took two wickets and gave away just 3 runs, his best figures in IPL.
Sandeep Sharma – 9.5
Sandeep Sharma, the Man of the Match in today’s game finally found his best form. He had had a tough time with the ball thus far, but he was the wrecker-in-chief today as he broke the backbone of DD’s batting. He took four wickets and gave away a meagre 20 runs.
T Natarajan – 7
The left-armer had a decent outing as he bowled two economical overs upfront. While his bowling partner was doing the damage at the other end, Natarajan didn’t give away easy runs and thus maintained the pressure.
Delhi Daredevils
Sam Billings – 1
The right-handed opener had a forgettable day. It was his dismissal in the first over that set the tone for KXIP as they broke their way through DD’s batting.
Sanju Samson – 3
This has been Samson’s best season in a while. After his century earlier in the tournament, the aggressive opener has made good contributions. But today wasn’t his day, as he struggled to get going and got out scoring just five from 11 balls.
Karun Nair – 4
Nair’s struggles continue. DD know that he is a quality player and have kept their faith in him. But the right-hander has failed consistently. He looked in good touch during his brief stay but couldn’t make a significant contribution yet again. With him not coming good, DD should look at other options before it’s too late.
Shreyas Iyer – 2
Much like every other DD batsman today, Iyer failed to read the surface and looked to play his shots. But he played one shot too many as he mistimed one and fell victim to Sandeep Sharma’s acrobatic catch. He could score only six runs from seven balls.
Rishabh Pant – 1
After a great start to this year’s IPL, Pant’s form has taken a sharp dip. He failed once again as he got out cheaply after scoring just three runs.
Corey Anderson – 5
The Kiwi all-rounder was the top scorer in the game for DD. But his 18 was not enough as after getting set he should have gone on to get a big one. However, it wasn’t to be. The left-hander was cleaned up by Varun Aaron.
Chris Morris – 3
Morris, too, had an off day. When DD needed him the most, the South African player failed to help his team with the bat. He was out caught and bowled by Axar in just the ninth over of the innings.
Kagiso Rabada – 2
The south-African tear-away pacer is no mug with the bat and proved his credibility when he scored a fighting 40 earlier in the tournament. But he failed to contribute this time around as he got out after scoring just 11 runs. With the ball, however, there wasn’t much for him to play with. Rabada was rendered helpless with the way Guptill was smashing the ball and gave away 18 runs in his two overs.
Amit Mishra – 2
Amit Mishra, who was very impressive for DD last year, has had a rough time this season. He has failed to provide breakthroughs, conceded runs aplenty. In today’s game, though, he was brought into the attack when the game was done and dusted. He conceded nine runs in the lone over he bowled but failed to get a wicket.
Shahbaz Nadeem – 3
It was surprising to see Nadeem getting dropped after his impressive stints with the ball in the first few games for DD. He got a game today, but there wasn’t much he could do as DD had only 67 to defend.
Mohammed Shami – 2
Getting a game after a long while, Shami was nowhere near his best. He bowled two overs in the power-play and gave away 19 runs. If DD were to make a game out of this one, their bowlers had to make early inroads. But, unfortunately for them, none of them could do that and they lost the game by 10 wickets.
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