Sehwag slams ton in big win for Delhi in IPL

Opener Virender Sehwag struck a magnificent 119 off 56 balls as Delhi Daredevils scored a memorable four-wicket victory over Deccan Chargers to stay in contention in the IPL.

Meanwhile, Mahela Jayawardene’s solid 55 helped Kochi Tuskers to a 17-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Sehwag’s knock helped Delhi score 179-6 in 19 overs to overcome Deccan’s challenging 175-5.

In the standings, Delhi jumped to seventh, one above Deccan. Mid-table Kochi prevented Kolkata from topping the standings.

Sehwag, the Delhi captain, bludgeoned his way with a strike rate hovering around 200 almost through his innings.

Lucky to be dropped twice off legspinner Amit Mishra, Sehwag decimated the attack with six sixes and 13 fours, once plundering 23 runs off an over from medium-pacer Ishan Malhotra.

“I was telling my boys that if one of us stays for 15-16 overs we can win the match,” Sehwag said. “I knew that they did not have a good fifth bowler and so we could always get the runs.”

Sehwag registered the fourth highest individual score in four IPLs before he was out caught behind trying to cut a delivery from South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn with only 23 needed to complete the win.

None of the other four batsmen in the top five of the Delhi lineup touched double figures. James Hopes (17 not out) and Irfan Pathan (12) chipped in with useful scores toward the end.

For Deccan, South Africa allrounder JP Duminy struck 55 off 31 balls with fours sixes and two fours, while captain Kumar Sangakkara knocked up 44 off 36 balls with eight fours.

Earlier, Kochi scored 156-5 and restricted Kolkata to 139-7 to move up to fifth.

Asked to bat first, Kochi’s innings was steadied by Jayawardene and received a scoring burst toward the end from Brad Hodge.

“(Kolkata) was a tough team and it was an important game for us,” Jayawardene said. “We needed to win this game, especially as it was our last one at Kochi.”

Jayawardene struck two sixes and two fours off 41 deliveries. He added 38 runs with Hodge before he was run out with a throw from the deep while trying to complete a second run.

Hodge struck two sixes and three fours off 19 balls, with Australian speedster Brett Lee suffering the ignominy of being struck for 22 runs in the last over of the innings.

Kolkata got off to a solid start with Eoin Morgan and Jacques Kallis combining to open with 69, but couldn’t regain the momentum after Raiphi Gomez (2-14) removed Kallis and captain Gautam Gambhir off successive deliveries.

Morgan struck two sixes and eight fours off 51 deliveries for his 66, while Kallis hit five fours in his 41-ball 45.