2993dThe Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran

Shoaib leads Delhi drubbing

Shoaib Akhtar made a dramatic IPL debut taking four wickets in a blistering new-ball spell to consign the Delhi Daredevils to their fourth straight defeat

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Salman Butt
Salman Butt
48(44) 7x4 - 0x6
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 13 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
2 5 8 3 11 2 2 15
DJ Hussey
31(31) 0x4 - 2x6
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 10 runs
  • 0x4 - 0x6
0 0 0 2 6 8 8 7

Best performances - Bowlers

Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar
O3
M0
R11
W4
Eco3.66
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
LR Shukla
O0.5
M0
R6
W3
Eco7.2
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH

Shah Rukh and several other black shirts rush onto the field. They all crowd around Shoaib, the wrecker in chief after his spell of 4 for 11. He wasn't even required for his fourth over. That just goes to show what a great team effort this was. Shah Rukh gives him a big hug and his team-mates try to lift him up. They give up eventually! They do a walk of honour around the field and one can understand the elation. Not many would have given them a sure shot chance of defending 133. Eden Gardens went quiet but soon erupted when Shoaib sent back Sehwag and there was no looking back after that. The fielding was sharp and accurate and the number of direct hits, to go with the two run-outs, kept the pressure on Delhi. It all clicked. Kolkata have edged out Delhi in the points table and are now in fourth place. Stay with us for the presentation.

Here's Sehwag: "Our bowlers did well but our batting let us down. Shoaib bowled really well and we didn't plan properly for facing him. Dilshan's dismissal was crucial and we didn't recover after that."

Ganguly: "Shoaib showed a lot of character. It's one of the best wins in my career. I hope the national selectors were watching me (diving and sliding in the field). We've asked Shah Rukh to bat in the nets for us in case we need him!"

Shoaib is the Man of the Match. Shah Rukh gives him a bear hug and Shoaib actually lifts him up. Here's what he said: "I'm just there to enjoy my game. I've got no point to prove to anyone. I've had a stressful few months and I'd like to thank everybody in the dressing room. Shah Rukh has been like a brother giving me a lot of advice. All the guys played really well."

I just love it sometimes when bowlers have their say, especially in this format of the game. Shoaib was back at a venue where he has tasted success before and it was only fitting that he was named Man of the Match. I loved bringing this game to you. On behalf of Raymond and Raghav, this is Kanishkaa signing off for the night. Cheers!

17.5
W
Shukla to Mahesh, OUT, hits the timber and it's all over! Yomahesh walks across his stumps to paddle it fine but the ball is too straight and full, it flattens his middle stump and Shukla picks up three in this magical over

VY Mahesh b Shukla 3 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

17.5
5w
Shukla to Mahesh, 5 wides, whoopsy! In the excitement he loses control of the swing and sprays it wide down leg, it's too quick for Saha to intercept it
17.4
0
Shukla to Mahesh, no run, fires it on the blockhole outside off, he makes a bit of room to squeeze it out but he misses
17.3
W
Shukla to Sangwan, OUT, On a hat-trick here! Sangwan stays at the crease and tries to go downtown, he picks a pitched up delivery outside off and fails to get the elevation, Hussey takes the sitter at long-on

PJ Sangwan c Hussey b Shukla 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

17.2
W
Shukla to Mishra, OUT, Mishra tries to get too cheeky by walking across his stumps and dragging it from way outside off, the paddle scoop really travels off his blade but Ishant's position at short fine leg is perfect for the catch

A Mishra c Sharma b Shukla 31 (32b 3x4 0x6) SR: 96.87

Shah Rukh Khan signals to the crowd to keep cheering

17.1
1
Shukla to Mahesh, 1 run, bowls it full and wide outside the offstump and he places it straight to extra cover

30 to get off 18 balls. Shukla comes in to the attack

  • I have no point to prove - Shoaib

    With Kolkata defending a low total, Shoaib removed Virender Sehwag off the second ball of the innings, dismissed Gautam Gambhir in his next over and then took two more off successive balls in his third

  • Shoaib leads Delhi drubbing

    Shoaib Akhtar made a dramatic IPL debut taking four wickets in a blistering new-ball spell to consign the Delhi Daredevils to their fourth straight defeat

Daredevils 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st2G GambhirV Sehwag
2nd15G GambhirAB de Villiers
3rd11AB de VilliersMK Tiwary
4th0S DhawanMK Tiwary
5th15TM DilshanS Dhawan
6th24TM DilshanA Mishra
7th34MF MaharoofA Mishra
8th4A MishraVY Mahesh
9th0VY MaheshPJ Sangwan
10th5GD McGrathVY Mahesh