IPL 10, Match 42, DD v GL - Delhi Daredevils Player Ratings

The Delhi Daredevils were largely considered to be the down and out team of the tournament. However, in the last couple of matches, they have managed to turn things around big time. Now, they are in a position from where they can qualify for the playoffs. If they win their remaining four fixtures in the season, they have every chance of making it to the top four.

The win over the Gujarat Lions has strengthened their claim to be among the top contenders. A belligerent knock from Rishabh Pant and a perfect assist from Sanju Samson helped Delhi Daredevils make short work of the mammoth 208 target. They won by 7 wickets as the two batsmen plundered sixes at will. Samson scored 61 off just 31 deliveries and Pant was a shade better. Pant scored a superlative 97 off just 43 balls to guide the chase.

Earlier in the game, the Gujarat Lions had recovered well after losing their openers cheaply. Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina put on a 133 run stand for the third wicket to set the base for a huge total. Both scored their respective fifties en route the century stand. Aaron Finch and Ravindra Jadeja played handy cameos to see the Lions finish with 208 on the board.

Here are the Delhi Daredevils Player Ratings for the DD v GL encounter:

Sanju Samson – 8/10

Sanju Samson has been the most consistent batsman for the Delhi Daredevils in the tournament thus far. Samson started off on a high with a string of free flowing shots. Despite losing his opening partner cheaply, Samson continued to bat in his usual way unfazed of what happened at the other hand.

Samson found an ideal partner in Rishabh Pant and the two batsmen led an absolute onslaught on the opposition. They added 143 runs for the second wicket in just 63 deliveries. En route the partnership, Samson notched up his fifty as well. He perished after scoring 61 off 31 deliveries with 7 sixes to his name.

Karun Nair – 3/10

Coming into the tournament, Karun Nair had a very poor run with the national setup. The IPL was expected to be his pave way for better performances for the Karnataka lad. However, he failed miserably in the early half of the tournament. Despite his poor show in the previous matches, Nair was still handed the captaincy in the absence of Zaheer Khan.

After a poor show in the first game as the captain, Nair came back strong with a 39 to his name in the last match. Just when people thought Nair was back to form, the youngster disappointed again. He perished for 12 off 11 balls on the day.

Rishabh Pant – 9.5/10

Rishabh Pant single-handedly took the game away from the Gujarat Lions. He was very well supported by Sanju Samson at the crease. The two young Indian stars inflicted an absolute carnage on the opposition bowlers. Suresh Raina had to use as many as 7 bowlers to ensure that his wicket eventually perished.

Coming in at number 3, Pant plundered a magnificent 97 off just 43 balls with 6 fours and 9 sixes to his name. He was unfortunate to have missed out on a very well deserved ton. The clean hitting that he came up with not only enthralled the audiences but has made the cricket world take notice of his superlative talent.

Shreyas Iyer – 6/10

Young batsman Shreyas Iyer did not have a major role to play in the match. He came into bat towards the end overs when the team needed only the finishing touches in the run chase. Iyer still made his presence felt with the bat.

During his short stay at the crease, Iyer scored an unbeaten 14 off just 8 balls to seal the game for the team. He hit a magnificent straight six to show that even he is some serious class player. In all, he had two sixes to his name.

Corey Anderson – 6.5/10

Corey Anderson had to walk in to bat with 29 runs still needed to be fetched for the victory. Anderson took very little time to come to his own with a couple of sixes to his name. He remained unbeaten on 18 and finished things off for the Delhi Daredevils in the match.

Earlier in the game, Anderson got his share of bowling to do as well. He bowled 3 overs in the match and was largely unsuccessful. He gave away 36 runs in his spell. The only wicket that he got on the day was of James Faulkner in the final over of the Gujarat Lions innings.

Marlon Samuels – 2/10

West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels got his first taste of the IPL after four years. Samuels, who had last played for the Pune Warriors in the IPL, made his debut for Delhi Daredevils in this game. He is a renowned batsman in the shortest format of the game.

He was drafted in the playing eleven to aid stability to the inexperienced Delhi batting order. Samuels, however, did not get his share of batting on the day though. Earlier in the game, he was given a couple of overs to shoot at the Lions batsmen. He gave 22 runs and returned with no wickets to his name.

Pat Cummins – 6.5/10

Pat Cummins was back in the playing eleven after a long break warming the bench for the Delhi Daredevils. Cummins came back to the lineup and started bowling with pace and aggression straightaway. In the four overs that he bowled today, he returned with figures of 2/30.

He got the wicket of the set batsman Dinesh Karthik to give a major blow to the opposition. He then made short work of the in-form batsman Ishan Kishan to send him packing on 4.

Kagiso Rabada – 7/10

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada had a very poor game in the previous outing. He arguably had bowled the worst spell of his life when he was taken away for 59 runs in his spell of four overs. He was certainly under some pressure to get back to his actual best in the tournament.

Rabada bowled his complete quota of 4 overs and was very impressive. He was unlucky to have seen dropped catches off his bowling in the match. He returned with figures of 2/28 in the four overs that he bowled. He got the two big wickets in the match – Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch.

Amit Mishra – 2/10

The track at Kotla looked like an absolute belter on the night. The wicket at the venue has always been a spin friendly track and the ball was expected to spin and turn to aid the spinners. Amir Mishra, who is one of the most experienced spinners in the lineup, looked lackluster on the day.

He bowled two overs during his spell and did not get any assistance from the wicket. Also, the batsmen seemed to be reading his variations with ease. He leaked 23 runs in the two overs that he bowled on the day.

Shahbaz Nadeem – 1/10

Veteran bowler Shahbad Nadeem was brought back to the lineup considering the plethora of overseas right handed batsmen in the opposition. Nadeem, who is traditionally known to be a proven wicket taker in the powerplay overs, failed to bowl successfully in this particular game.

He had a rare off day at the office for sure. He was handed the new ball to bowl at the overseas duo of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum. Nadeem was taken away for 28 runs in the two overs that he bowled and got no wickets to show against his name in the match.

Mohammad Shami – 1/10

Mohammed Shami was awarded the Man of the Match in the previous game. He had picked up two crucial wickets in the game to dictate the terms. Coming into this fixture, he was expected to do the same. The Delhi pacer could not replicate his heroics of the last game though. He had a very odd time with the ball in the match. He leaked as many as 40 runs in the three overs that he bowled. Shami did not get a wicket to his name in the match. He looked largely unimpressive with the ball.

He had a very odd time with the ball in the match. He leaked as many as 40 runs in the three overs that he bowled. Shami did not get a wicket to his name in the match. He looked largely unimpressive with the ball. The opposition batters found his bowling easy to negotiate in the match.