Sehwag powers Delhi to convincing victory

Delhi Daredevils 142 for 4 (Sehwag 75) beat Rajasthan Royals 141 for 6 (Jhunjhunwala 53*) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Virender Sehwag bludgeoned his way to 75, sealing a second consecutive win for Delhi Daredevils (file photo) © AFP
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A disciplined performance by the Delhi Daredevils bowlers and a blistering innings from Virender Sehwag inflicted a dispiriting defeat on Rajasthan Royals, their second in as many games, in Ahmedabad. The only highlight for Rajasthan was a battling half-century from Abhishek Jhunjhunwala which took them to a respectable total, but it was rendered woefully inadequate in the wake of an unforgiving onslaught from Sehwag.

Rajasthan were made to regret their batting fairly early in the chase, as Sehwag blazed away in the first over, swinging Dimitri Mascarehnas over square leg and mid-on for two boundaries. The seamers bowled either too full or offered him the desired width to break free. Shaun Tait, who was cut fiercely through point, and Munaf Patel, who was dispatched over long-off for a six and past mid-on for a boundary the next over, were the next in line.

There were a couple moments of hope for Rajasthan. Mascarenhas returned in the fourth over to snare Gautam Gambhir, who mistimed a slower one to mid-on, and got one to move away to produce an outside edge from Tillakaratne Dilshan the next ball. That the wickets made no difference to Sehwag's approach could have worked to Rajasthan's advantage, as he skied Mascarenhas when on 41 only to be dropped by Tait while running back from short fine - another low on what's so far been a miserable IPL for the South Australian.

Having smote Mascarenhas the previous two deliveries for 10 runs, Sehwag proceeded to target Amit Uniyal's medium-pacers, walloping him for six over long-off, upper-cutting him wide of third man to reach his half-century and striking through the line of a length delivery to dismiss it over long-on. The parting shot before being caught brilliantly by Graeme Smith at mid-on was a thunderous six over long-on; Delhi were 99 for 3 when he fell in the 10th over, and Dinesh Karthik, with the luxury of a set platform, saw his team through.

Match Meter RR An encouraging start: Naman Ojha targeted Delhi's bowling, racing to 24. Amit Mishra came in for attack, being struck for two fours and a six off consecutive deliveries as Rajasthan began positively in the first five overs. DD The setbacks hurt: Mishra, Farveez Maharoof and Pradeep Sangwan grab three crucial wickets in 21 balls to turn the tide. Ojha is bowled, Yusuf Pathan holes out to long-on and Graeme Smith is caught while trying to pull. DD Sehwag blazes away: Delhi show early signs of wanting to finish the game off quickly, as Virender Sehwag smacks six fours and a six in the first three overs to take his team to 40 without loss. DD RR A ray of hope: Dimitri Mascarenhas removes Gautam Gambhir and Tillakaratne Dilshan in successive deliveries in the fourth over to bring Rajasthan back into the game. No stopping Sehwag: The wickets make no difference to Sehwag's approach, as he stars with a blistering innings of 75 off 34 balls, falling only in the 10th over with the score on 99 and the win virtually sealed. Advantage Honours even

Rajasthan, who wore black arm-bands in memory of the victims of a bus accident in Sawai Madhopur district, had begun positively after Gambhir had put them in. But they were dented by a testing first spell from Dirk Nannes and the early introduction of Amit Mishra, leaving an inexperienced middle order to contend with a determined display from the rest of Delhi's bowlers who gave little opportunity to open up.

The conditions in Ahmedabad were hardly favourable with the dust from the parking lots surrounding the stadium kicking in, and adding to the haze from the floodlights. The surge of moths, flying across the pitch as well as the outfield, proved another irritant.

Swapnil Asnodkar and Smith, cashing in on some overpitched bowling from Farveez Maharoof, dispatched two boundaries off the first three balls of the match. Nannes, however, continued to trouble the batsmen with his ability go generate bounce, even from bowling on a good length. He got rid of Asnodkar with his second delivery, which was sliced towards Dilshan who took a good low catch, and followed up with two snorters to Naman Ojha, one striking him on the shoulder.

Ojha, who had some success while opening the batting for Rajasthan in the previous IPL, resumed the attack after a momentary lull, thrashing Maharoof over mid-on and edging him over the slips. He reserved special treatment for Mishra, brought on in the fourth over, cutting and sweeping him for two boundaries and launching him into the stands over long-on. But Mishra undid him with his first variation of the over, slipping in the googly to bowl him through the gate as he tried to loft him over the covers.

With Yusuf Pathan lasting just five deliveries, failing to pick a slower delivery and holing out to long-on, and the experienced Smith following soon after to make it 54 for 4, Rajasthan were starting at a bleak prospect.

Paras Dogra, who partnered Yusuf during his ruthless ton, and Jhunjhunwala, returning from the ICL, saw off a quiet phase during a nagging couple of overs from Pradeep Sangwan and Sarabjit Ladda; Rajasthan, at one stage, had played out 38 deliveries without a boundary. Replacing Yo Mahesh, Ladda varied his pace well, often surprising the batsmen with the quicker delivery but had his figures disturbed when the pair had stepped up, both smashing him for two sixes in a 17-run over.

Delhi saw to it they didn't give too much away with the two run-outs of Dogra and Mascarenhas in successive overs. Jhunjhunwala, though, struck two boundaries off Nannes in the final over, reaching his fifty, to give his bowler's more than an outside chance. Sehwag, however, ensured it was washed away.