The Indian Premier League Season II though started on a dull note but it gained the much-needed momentum with some keenly contested matches as displayed in the 6th day of the event. Two back to back thrillers put players and spectators up their chair to witness the endless entertainment of Twenty20 cricket.
The first match between the Delhi Daredevils and Chennai Super Kings at Kingsmead, Durban Thursday ended in a thrilling atmosphere as Delhi went on to win the match by 9 runs. Daredevil AB de Villiers scored this season’s first century in just 54 balls with six lofty sixes and five fours, which gave just the hint the kind of reply Super Kings required.
As usual, Super Kings’ Parthiv Patel and Matthew Hayden started off well giving their team a flourishing start, but Hayden’s departure at the individual score of 57 (off 27 balls) brought down the scoreboard to 90/2 in 8 overs.
Suresh Raina’s 27-ball 41 runs somehow kept the asking run rate below 10 an over but quick departure of Dhoni (5) and Andrew Flintoff (16) cost the Super Kings the most. Some excellent bowling display by spinner Daniel Vittori (2/29) and P Sangwan (3/28) then pushed the match to the last two overs when 24 needed.
The match eventually ended as Chennai tumbles in panic losing four wickets in the 19th and 20th over. Delhi registered its second win in the tournament placing second in the point table after Hyderabad Deccan Chargers with four points.
However, the day was waiting for another but one of the most exciting matches in T20 history when defending champion Rajasthan Royals beat the Kolkata Knight Riders by the rarely seen cricket formula the “Super Over” after both the teams scored equal runs in their allotted overs.
A tie in scorecard, first in the short IPL II history, finally rested the decision to a special over where the Riders put up a total of 16 runs to win which was easily achieved by Royals with the clean hitting of Yusuf Pathan in just four balls.
Today (April 24) match: Kings XI Punjab vs. Royal Challengers at Wanderers, Johannesburg.
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