Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Skipper Sachin Tendulkar struck a power-packed 63 as Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Daredevils by 98 runs for their second consecutive win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Wednesday.
Chasing a mammoth target of 219, Daredevils made 120 for nine in 16.3 overs with skipper Gautam Gambhir not able to come out to bat due to a hamstring injury.

Put into bat first, Tendulkar and Saurabh Tiwari (61) guided Mumbai Indians to 218 for seven in 20 overs.

Gambhir’s decision to opt for fielding backfired as Tendulkar, who was adjudged Man of the Match, gave Mumbai Indians a great start with his 32-ball innings and Tiwary’s big shots at the end assured the Mumbai team a big total on board.

An injured Gambhir limped out of the ground early. His absence was felt as Daredevils tried to chase down a mammoth total in their first match at their home ground.

Daredevils failed to put up a decent partnership despite a solid start from Virender Sehwag (26) and Tillekaratne Dilshan (17). The openers added 38 runs for the first wicket and at a time when they were going all guns blazing, it seemed that 218 would be too less a target to chase.

But they failed to capitalise on it and the Daredevils lost wickets at regular intervals.

Farveez Maharoof (28) and Dinesh Karthik (16) also got starts but their efforts were not enough.

Earlier in the day, Tendulkar started the run feast by hitting fast bowler Dirk Nannes for a four through the covers and in the next over stepped down and guided Maharoof’s slower delivery to the mid-on boundary for another four.

Maharoof again found himself at the receiving end of Tendulkar’s fury in the fourth over as the batting maestro hit the Sri Lankan all-rounder for four boundaries.

Maharoof, however, got rid of Jayasuriya in the same over, with substitute field Yogesh Nagar taking a brilliant catch running back, to pull back things in Daredevils’ favour.

Leg spinner Amit Mishra dropped Tendulkar on 36, but atoned for it by dismissing him in the 11th over with Nagar taking a neat low catch at long off. Tiwari and Ambati Rayudu (34) then entertained the Kotla crowd with their 71-run stand.