Delhi Daredevils became the first team to qualify for the play-offs of this season of the IPL after beating Kings XI Punjab by five wickets in a match that was played at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. With this win, the side has bagged 20 points in total from winning ten games out of the 14 they played. With Punjab’s two games still remaining, the side still has a chance of making it into the play-offs, but cannot afford to lose any more.
Delhi Daredevils qualify for playoffs after beating Kings XI Punjab
A target of 137 was not enough to bring Daredevils under pressure. But it was not cakewalk for DD. It took a triple strike from Delhi-bred Parvinder Awana to leave the home team reeling at 37 for four in the sixth over. Suddenly, the journey to an expected victory appeared a steep climb. Awana bowled Virender Sehwag who was dropped in the previous over by David Hussey and returned to scalp Venugopala Rao and off-form Ross Taylor in the space of three deliveries of his second over. Having bowled 15 dot balls in his spell of 3-0-7-3, Awana had Delhi in serious trouble before Ojha’s cameo turned the tide.
Thereafter, the eventual five-wicket victory, with an over to spare, was obviously sweeter. Daredevils’ feared top-order failed before Mahela Jayawardene played his part to perfection with an unbeaten half-century. From the other end, Naman Ojha and Irfan Pathan moved at a higher gear to ensure that Daredevils became the first team to qualify for the four-team playoffs.
Earlier, Kings XI were progressing well and reached 50 for 2 in 6.2 overs. After David Miller was run out by a direct hit from Pawan Negi at mid-on, Azhar Mahmood, the last of Kings XI’s proper batsmen, was in as early as the 10th over. He stayed only until the 12th, when he hoisted Yadav towards long-off, where Irfan Pathan back-pedalled and caught the ball over his right shoulder on the edge of the boundary. Kings XI were eventually in danger of being dismissed and David Hussey, who had been crying out for a reliable partner in vain, had to play within himself. He even turned down singles in the final two overs and dragged his team 136 for 8.
With a place in the top four secure, Daredevils need to win only one of their last two games to secure No. 1 position. Kings XI, on the other hand, needed victory in their remaining two games to be assured of a playoff spot. They cannot afford another defeat and will have to depend on net run-rate and on a permutation of results in other matches to qualify.
Tags: Cricket, DD, Delhi Daredevils, Indian Premier League, IPL, Kings XI Punjab, KXIP, Playoffs
