Dhawan, Iyer help DC post 187/5 against RCB

By Baidurjo Bhose

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Delhi Capitals rode on half-centuries by opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Shreyas Iyer to post a challenging 187/5 in their 20 overs against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Feroz Shah Kotla here on Sunday.

The hosts finished on a high, amassing 60 runs in the last five overs.

While Dhawan and Iyer put on 68 runs for the second wicket, Sherfane Rutherford (28) and Axar Patel (16) finished well as the RCB bowlers failed to drive home the initiative even after sending back the established batsmen in the middle order cheaply.

Calling correctly, Delhi started well even though they lost Prithvi Shaw (18 off 10) as Umesh Yadav had him caught behind by Parthiv Patel. With the score reading 35/1 in the fourth over, skipper Iyer joined Dhawan in the middle.

With Dhawan already looking in fine flow, Iyer looked to settle down quickly as the two tried to make the most of the powerplay overs. They ended the first six overs with the score reading 59/1. The RCB bowlers looked more than content to play the waiting game rather than forcing the issue, as they waited for the DC batsmen to make a mistake.

But there was no stopping Dhawan who registered his fifth half-century of the season. However, just when it looked like the duo would take the game away, Dhawan was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, caught by Washington Sundar at short fine-leg for a 37-ball 50 (4x5, 6x2). The score read 103/2 in 12.2 overs.

With the stage set for a flourish at the death, Rishabh Pant walked in to join his captain in the middle. But the swashbuckling batsman failed to get going as Chahal caught him plumb in front for seven. Iyer too perished after reaching his fifty, as Sundar had him caught by RCB skipper Virat Kohli.

The three-over span between the 13th and the 16th over saw Delhi lose the plot as they lost two quick wickets, helping RCB crawl their way back into the game.

Even though Colin Ingram and Rutherford looked to attack the RCB bowlers, the visitors had by now adjusted to the slow and low Kotla track as Navdeep Saini sent back Ingram (11), caught by Sundar. The score read 141/5 in the 17th over.

After that it was the Rutherford and Axar show.

Brief scores

Delhi Capitals: 187/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 52, Shikhar Dhawan 50; Yuzvendra Chahal 2/41) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

(Baidurjo Bhose can be contacted at baidurjo.b@ians.in)