The two teams, Dada Army aka Pune Warriors India and Viru Army aka Delhi DareDevils will again lock horns against each other in a return leg 31st match of the IPL on 24th April at Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune on Tuesday. Ganguly led from the front, scoring 41 runs with the bat and then scalped two crucial wickets in the form of danger-man Kevin Pietersen and Irfan Pathan to guide Pune to a 20-run win over the star-studded Delhi Daredevils at the Feroze Shah Kotla ground on Saturday.

IPL 5: Dada vs Viru once again

Earlier, Delhi Daredevils skipper Virender Sehwag won the toss and elected to bowl first. Batting first, a blistering knock from Jesse Ryder (86) and skipper Sourav Ganguly (41) were involved in a 93-run stand for the second wicket that helped the Pune Warriors pile up a huge 192 for three in 20 overs. Under pressure while chasing a challenging 192 for three set by Pune, Delhi started their innings slowly, loosing Jayawardene cheaply. Then skipper Sehwag and Pietersen gave some speed to their team’s score but Pietersen fell on the very first ball bowled by Sourav Ganguly.

Till the 10th over, the equation was neck to neck with Delhi at 87/1 as opposed to Pune’s 82/1. Delhi Daredevils looked perfectly on course to chase down 192 but all changed in the 10th over when Sourav Ganguly decided to take it upon himself to stop the rampaging Kevin Pietersen and Virender Sehwag. The decision would have easily backfired, it would have been like a lost lamb going into the lion’s den, but luck favours the brave and the ‘brave’ dada had his luck going his way as his very first ball kept low and rattled KP’s off stump.

Ganguly ran a mile celebrating the wicket, and Pune were back in the game. Pietersen departed for 32 off 23 balls and soon after Irfan Pathan followed not before hitting a six off Ganguly. The good work done by Sehwag, who finally fired in this edition, was slowly being undone as Pune bowlers clawed back into the match. By the 15th over Delhi were 131 as compared to Pune’s 125. Only difference, Delhi had lost 5 wickets and Pune just two. By the time Ross Taylor came into the middle, the ask was a bit too steep and with one of the world’s best T20 bowler (Alfonso Thomas) at their disposal Pune had the game in their bag in the 18th over when Taylor departed for just 12. Delhi managed only 172 runs in the end.

Now, the focus shifts to Pune, where the two teams meet yet again.

Key Factors for Pune Warriors:

• A Rearing Strong batting line up with Dada getting in form along with Ryder, Uthappa and Smith.
• Alfonso Thomas (3/22) produced his best bowling performance in the IPL. Thomas’s tally of 159 wickets at an average of 20.32 in 135 matches in Twenty20 is the second highest.
• Pune Warriors’ 20-run triumph is their first in three matches against Delhi Daredevils in the IPL.
• Pune Warriors (192 for three) have registered their highest ever total in the IPL, eclipsing the 187 for five against Delhi Daredevils at Mumbai on April 17, 2011.
• Pune are performing like they are eager to stay in top 4 this season.

Key Factors for Delhi Daredevils:

• Morne Morkel became the first bowler to take 15 wickets (ave.10.80) in six matches in the IPL 5.
• Batting looks dangerously solid with likes of Viru, Jayawardene, KP and Taylor.
• Kevin Pietersen has aggregated 187 runs at an average of 93.50 in four matches, with second century of the season.
• Sehwag became the eighth batsman to manage 1500 runs or more in the IPL – 1533 at an average of 28.92 in 56 matches.

Despite the loss, Delhi continues to top the standings with eight points from six games, while the win propelled Pune to the third position.

Tags: Cricket, Dada, Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2012, IPL 5, Pune Warriors, Sourav Ganguly, Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Virender Sehwag, Viru