IPL 10, Match 18 DD vs KKR Review: Pandey and Yusuf clinch a nail biting thriller

Kolkata Knight Riders registered their 4^th win of Vivo IPL 10 as the two-time champions clinched a nail-biting thriller against Delhi Daredevils by 4 wickets and with a delivery to go to go to the top of the points table. It was the brilliant partnership between Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan which ensured KKR chased down the total of 169 set by DD. While Yusuf was dismissed after scoring a half-century, Pandey was there till the end remaining unbeaten on 69.

Earlier in the day, it was a sensational cameo of 38 of 16 deliveries by Rishabh Pant which enabled the hosts to reach a total of nearly 170 runs. He literally tormented with Umesh Yadav and smashed him for 26 runs in the 17^th over. Newcomer Nathan Coulter-Nile was the pick of the KKR bowlers finishing with impressive figures of 3/22 in 4 overs.

Winning the toss Delhi Daredevils captain Zaheer Khan opted to bat. It was a tricky decision considering that KKR has been chasing brilliantly but DD decided to stick to their strengths and batted first. Sanju Samson and Sam Billings walked out in the middle to start of proceedings. Newcomer Nathan Coulter-Nile was given the new ball and he responded by conceding a couple of boundaries in his very first over of the season.

The centurion against Rising Pune Supergiant, Samson looked in ominous touch and smashed boundaries at will. After smashing Chris Woakes for a boundary through the cover region in the 2^nd over, the Kerala lad smashed a hat-trick of boundaries in the 3^rd over as the home team raced to 36/0 in the first 3 overs.

After a sensational start, the KKR bowlers put the brakes on their run scoring as DD could master only 53 in their first 6 overs. The pressure was building for the hosts which brought about the downfall of Sam Billings in the first delivery of the 7^th over bowled by Coulter-Nile. It was a strangle down the leg side and Uthappa completed a straightforward catch behind the stumps.

Samson struck another boundary before being dismissed by Umesh Yadav in the final delivery of the 8^th over. Comeback man Shreyas Iyer struck some delightful shots en route to his 26 and along with Karun Nair, the duo looked to resurrect the innings. After stitching together a partnership of 43 runs both the batsman fell in quick succession to peg the hosts back.

Teenage sensation Rishabh Pant walked out in the middle and looked in stupendous touch from the outset. The southpaw began with a big six of Kuldeep Yadav which cleared the long off boundary pretty easily but the main drama of the innings was yet to unfold. What transpired in the next over left everyone shell-shocked as India’s spearhead Umesh Yadav was smashed for 26 runs by youngster Rishabh Pant in the 17^th over.

It was sensational brutal hitting by the little man who has the ability to clear any boundary ropes in the world. He began with an effortless six over the mid-on region and followed it up with another boundary over the backward point region. The next six was smoked over the backward square leg region followed by yet another six over the mid on region.

Umesh who has been the standout fast bowler for India was surprised to be at the receiving end of a Pant onslaught. The southpaw was eventually dismissed after scoring 38 of a mere 16 deliveries His innings contained 2 fours and 4 hits over the fence. Chris Morris struck a four and a six in the penultimate over which pushed the hosts to a score of 168/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

KKR again sprung in a surprise top of the order as Colin de Grandhomme came out to open the innings with captain Gautam Gambhir. The ploy did not work as the attacking right-handed batsman was holed out at the deep square leg region by Sam Billings. Gambhir looked in pretty good knick and smashed Pat Cummins for a couple of boundaries in the 2^nd over.

His partner Robin Uthappa wasn’t far either as the stylish batsman also began with a boundary in the same over but couldn’t carry on as he edged an outswinger from Cummins straight to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. It was an exceptional catch from the youngster diving full stretch towards his left.

Captain Gambhir who looked in good touch too fell in the 3^rd over as Zaheer Khan bagged his 2^nd wicket. With Kolkata being reduced to 21/3, the scales were tilted totally in favour of the home team but the visitors still had world class hitters in their ranks to carry them home. Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan slowly but steadily started steadying the ship.

Both batsmen looked in good touch and played some fine shots which kept the scoreboard ticking. Despite the 3 early wickets, the duo ensured the required rate didn’t go up too much and played sensibly. A hat-trick of boundaries was struck by the pair in the final over of powerplay as KKR reached 49/3 at the end of 6 overs.

Pathan struck the first six of KKR’s innings in the 8^th over. It was almost a one-handed shot as the bottom hand came out of the handle but still, the powerful man went on with the shot. Shami was yet again expensive in the 10^th over as the right arm pacer conceded 13 runs. With KKR placed at 88/3 after 10 overs, the match was in the balance.

Pandey smashed a six of Angelo Mathews over the deep mid-wicket and his partner Yusuf followed it up with a six and a four in the 14^th over. The gigantic six also brought up his half-century but immediately after that, the big man was dismissed by Chris Morris in the 15^th over. He mistimed it straight up in the air and Morris completed a straightforward catch.

The equation got a little tricky towards the fag end of the match as KKR lost Suryakumar Yadav in the final delivery of the 18^th over. With only 16 require of the last 2, Morris conceded only 7 runs in the penultimate over. Surprisingly Amit Mishra was handed over the ball in the final over with 9 required. He bowled two terrific deliveries upfront as Chris Woakes was dismissed in the 2^nd delivery.

Sunil Narine took a single in the 3^rd delivery to bring back Pandey to strike. It was one lusty blow from the right-hander which finished off proceedings as he smashed Mishra for a flat six over the long on region. He tapped a full-length delivery towards the cover region to finish off proceedings. It was a sensational win by KKR which enables them to go to the top of the ladder.

Brief Scores

Delhi Daredevils 168/7 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 39, Rishabh Pant 38)

Kolkata Knight Riders 169/6 in 19.5 overs (Manish Pandey 69*, Yusuf Pathan 59, Zaheer Khan 2/28)

Kolkata Knight Riders won by 4 wickets (with a delivery to go)

Check out – Full scorecard here 

Check out- Points table here