KOCHI (India), April 30: Virender Sehwag struck a 47-ball 80 to power Delhi Daredevils to a 38-run victory over Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.
The Delhi captain lashed eight fours and five sixes to help his team post a challenging 157-7 following a disastrous start after choosing to bat first.
Medium-pacers Morne Morkel, Irfan Pathan and star sports live tv watch online free Ajit Agarkar then shared seven wickets before South African spinner Roelof van der Merwe claimed the last three dismissals from five deliveries to bowl out Kochi for 119 in 18.5 overs.
It was only the Delhi’s third win in eight matches.
Delhi lost two wickets with four runs on the board after India paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth struck twice in four balls on a pitch with variable bounce.
Sreesanth bowled Australian opener David Warner (3) and Naman Ojha (0) before Sehwag opened up to hammer spinner Ravindra Jadeja for two successive sixes and then his 50 with a six off medium-pacer Vinay Kumar.
Sehwag put on 56 for the fourth wicket with Yogesh Nagar (22) before holing out at the extra cover boundary after having hit 49 runs off the last 15 balls he faced.
Pathan dismissed New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum (7) and Parthiv Patel (1) and Morkel sent back Australian batsmen Michael Klinger (2) and Brad Hodge (27) plus Balachandra Akhil (13).
Agarkar had skipper Mahela Jayawardene (18) caught by Sehwag and Jadeja (31), before van der Merwe polished off the tail to ensure Kochi lost their fifth match out of eight.
Meanwhile in another match played on Friday, Virat Kohli smashed a 42ball 67 with the help of four sixes and West Indies opener Chris Gayle a brisk 49 off 26 balls to set up Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 26-run victory over Pune Warriors in Bangalore.
Pune finished on 155-5 chasing a 182-run target to suffer their fifth defeat in seven matches.
New Zealander Jesse Ryder top-scored with a 34ball 51 for Pune and skipper Yuvraj Singh cracked 41 off 23 balls with the help of three sixes.
Summarised scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Pune Warriors by 26 runs.