Dharamsala: David Warner played an electrifying knock to take Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab here Saturday and top the group stage in the Indian Premier League. Kings XI were knocked out of the tournament.
Warner smashed 79 off 44 balls as Daredevils chased down the 142-run target with 10 balls to spare. Umesh Yadav (3/19) and Morne Morkel (4/20) made good use of the seaming conditions in the Kings XI innings, which ended at 141 for eight.
Daredevils wrapped up the league stage with 22 points from 16 games and will get two chances in the play-offs for making the final May 27. Kings XI, who needed to win to stay alive in the competition, ended their campaign with 16 points.
It seemed like a tricky chase for Daredevils but Warner single-handedly got the team over the line at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium here.
The Australian hammered four sixes and 10 fours during his stay at the crease. The southpaw was particularly severe on speedster Parwinder Awana, slamming him for 23 in an over.
Earlier, Siddharth Chitnis (38), Azhar Mahmood (36) and Gurkeerat Singh (26) led Kings XI’s recovery after they were reduced to 20 for four in the first six overs. The batsmen were found wanting against the express pace of Morkel and Yadav early on.
Yadav got rid of Mandeep Singh (0) on the first ball of his spell with the in-form batsman feeling for the swinging delivery, edging it straight to wicket-keeper Naman Ojha. His other two crucial dismissals were of Kings XI skipper Adam Gilchrist (9) and the dangerous David Hussey (3).
Chitnis and Mahmood resurrected the innings with a 57-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Mahmood struggled for runs initially but changed gears later on to take the team to a fighting total.
The 21-year-old Gurkeerat Singh once again did his bit with the bat, cracking 26 off 11 balls.
The home team could have got a bit more, had it not been for Morkel, who struck thrice in the 19th over.
IANS
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