Port Elizabeth was set to host a key match for Bangalore taking on the Daredevils from Delhi. The Challengers captain Pietersen won the toss and he chose to bat first. While Dravid was away on a paternity leave, Bangalore included Boucher, Appanna and Akhil in the team. Delhi also made two changes in the team. Mithun Manhas and Amit Mishra were included in the playing eleven.
Bangalore again got off to a shaky start after losing the openers Kallis and Uthappa in quick succession. While Kallis was out for a duck in the first over of Nannes, Uthappa was dismissed by Nehra in the second over. The Bangalore captain Pietersen was joined by Taylor and together they started the rescue work. While Taylor was taking time to settle in, Pietersen looked in good touch, hitting the balls from the middle of his bat.
Good running between the wickets and quick scoring by the duo of Pietersen and Taylor resulted in a healthy partnership developing. However, an attempted switch-hit by Pietersen off Vettori resulted in the 3rd wicket going down for Bangalore just before the strategy time-out. Bangalore were struggling at 74/3.
Post break, Delhi continued their good show when Amit Mishra trapped Taylor LBW. Boucher on the other hand, playing his first IPL game, looked in good touch, timing the ball sweetly. Requiring big overs towards the end, Boucher started scoring at a faster rate with help from Virat Kohli. Boucher smashed Sangwan in the 19th over, hitting him for 2 sixers. However, the bowler took Boucher’s wicket in the same over to Mishra. Nehra started the last over and he immediately dismissed Kohli. After hitting a six of the second ball, Akhil was run-out thanks to an accurate throw at the stumps by de Villers. Bangalore finished their innings at 148/7.
Delhi's innings took an early blow when the swashbuckling Sehwag was dismissed in the second over. Trying to go over the top, Sehwag hit the ball straight to Pietersen at mid-on, giving Pankaj Singh his first wicket. After a mini partnership with Dilshan, Gambhir departed, giving a catch to Boucher off Pankaj Singh's bowling.
The spinners contained the flow of runs when the veteran Kumble and Appanna bowled in tandem. Entering the 'Strategy Break' Delhi were 64/2 requiring 86 more runs to win the match.
After the time-out, Dilshan got a lucky break when he was given not out by the third umpire, Doctrove. Bangalore got their 3rd wicket in young Appanna’s over, went through the defences of de Villeres. Karthik started off with lusty strokes and gave Dilshan good company. Requiring 44 runs to win, Delhi lost their fourth wicket when Dinesh Karthik got out to Akhil.
Dilshan started to accelerate after Karthik's dismissal and was well supported by Manhas. Kallis was given the ball for the 17th over and it proved to be an expensive bet. He gave away 19 runs which included a two fours and a six. The six was scored by Dilshan which also took him to his fifty.
Manhas finished it off by hitting a four off Vinay Kumar taking Delhi to their 3rd victory. After losing early wickets, Dilshan maintained his cool and ensured that Delhi did not lose the momentum. Once again, loss of early wickets while batting and poor bowling in the death led to Bangalore's fourth loss in a row.
Interesting Facts:
Kallis became the second batsman to get out off the first ball of a match in IPL - 2009
Tillekaratne Dilshan registered his second consecutive fifty in IPL 2009.
Dilshan also went on to win the first Man of the Match award of his IPL career.
Man of The Match:
Dilshan was declared the Man of the Match.
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