BANGALORE: Conceding only 27 runs in the last four overs of the Royal Challengers Bangalore innings while dismissing Shane Watson, Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan proved decisive for Delhi Daredevils as they went on to record their second victory yesterday in IPL 2016.
That meant they had to chase 192 instead of the 220 that RCB looked on course for when Kohli and Watson looted Zaheer Khan’s final over for 21 runs. That was still a stiff target, but Daredevils possessed a weapon that could prove their trump card this IPL: Quinton de Kock. Aged 23, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman is something of a senior in the Daredevils squad and his worth as an international superstar in the making was underlined with an exceptional 108 off 51 balls.
His partner in a match-winning stand of 134 from 12.4 overs was Karun Nair, a Bangalore product who used his knowledge of the conditions expertly to produce a sparkling unbeaten 54.
This was a T20 game not lacking in adrenalin or action. If RCB’s batting might had been typified by a rollicking second-wicket alliance of 107 of 65 balls between AB de Villiers and Kohli after the loss of Chris Gayle for 0, then De Kock’s response to the fall of Shreyas Iyer without scoring in the opening over of Daredevils’ chase was equally thrilling.
Giving RCB early lift was Watson, who ran after a miscue from Iyer towards the long-on boundary, kept his eyes on the ball, took a stunning catch and then flicked it back to David Wiese as he went over the line.
Nair’s 50 needed 36 balls and De Kock duly reached his hundred off just 48, brought up - how else? - with a cut into the offside.
Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 191-5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 79, AB de Villiers 55) lost to Delhi Daredevils 192-3 in 19.1 overs (Quinton de Kock 108, Karun Nair 54*) by seven wickets.
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