1.45 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Daredevils win last-ball thriller in IPL

Delhi Daredevils batsman Kevin Pietersen plays a shot during the IPL Twenty20 cricket match. (AFP)

Published
By AP

Seamers Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav bowled a superb final two overs and guided Delhi Daredevils to a thrilling one-run victory over Rajasthan Royals while Mumbai Indians defeated bottom-placed Deccan Chargers by five wickets in a low-scoring match in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Ajinkya Rahana smashed an unbeaten 84 off 63 balls but with two runs needed off the last ball he missed Yadav's delivery as Owais Shah was run out and Rajasthan ended up at 151-3.

Morkel brought Daredevils back into the hunt when Royals needed 15 off the last 12 balls. He conceded only three runs in the 19th over and also got rid of dangerman Brad Hodge.

Daredevils made 152-6 with captain Virender Sehwag scoring his fourth successive half century before being dismissed for 63 off 39 balls.

Rahana sliced Yadav over point boundary for a six in the last over and brought down the target to two off the last ball before missing the last delivery.

Royals captain Rahul Dravid (40) and Rahana had all but sealed the game when they put on 99 runs for the opening stand in 70 balls. Hodge also made a quick 22 off 18 deliveries before Morkel, who is now the leading wicket-taker in IPL with 18, bowled a pin-point accurate over.

Earlier, Daredevils lost their way after Sehwag was brilliantly held in the deep by Ashok Menaria before Yogesh Nagar (27) and Irfan Pathan collected 20 runs in seamer Amit Singh's last over of the innings that lifted the home team's score.

Daredevils are on top with 14 points after winning seven of their nine matches. Royals are in fifth place with eight points after winning four and losing five matches.

In Mumbai, Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga chipped in with 4-16 to bowl out Chargers for 100 in 18.4 overs. Shikhar Dhawan top scored for Chargers with 29 and South African JP Duminy remained unbeaten on 25 as Malinga brought the innings to close with the last three wickets in five deliveries.

Mumbai had some anxious moments in a tricky run-chase when South African Richard Levi was bowled by his fellow countryman Dale Steyn off the very first ball. Steyn bowled at a good pace to grab 2-10 off his four overs, but Rohit Sharma made 42 and Ambati Rayudu scored an unbeaten 19 to see the home team through to 101-5 in 18.1 overs.

The victory lifted Mumbai to third in the table with 10 points from five wins and four losses, while Chargers have only three points after eight games.

Brief scores:
   
Delhi Daredevils 152-6 in 20 overs (Virender Sehwag 63, Yogesh Nagar 27, Ross Taylor 25; Pankaj Singh 2-25, Amit Singh 2-41) beat Rajasthan Royals 151-3 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahana 84 not out, Rahul Dravid 40, Brad Hodge 22; Morne Morkel 1-26, Irfan Pathan 1-27).

Mumbai Indians 101-5 in 18.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 42, Ambati Rayudu 19 not out; Dale Steyn 2-10) beat Deccan Chargers 100 in 18.4 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 29, JP Duminy 25 not out; Lasith Malinga 4-16, Harbhajan Singh 2-13, James Franklin 2-18).