IPL 2021: Shaw show sinks Knight Riders

There was no stopping the Shaw show. Opener Prithvi Shaw fired the fifth fastest half-century in IPL history and the quickest of this edition as the Delhi Capitals cruised to a dominant win over the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday night.

The 21-year-old biffed 82 from 41 deliveries where he thumped 11 boundaries and three sixes. His ninth fifty and third this season saw last year’s runners-up coast to a seven-wicket win, with 21 balls still remaining, in Ahmedabad.

Shaw had ushered in his half-century from just 18 deliveries to eclipse Punjab Kings’ Deepak Hooda, who had earlier this month, scored the fastest of this season, from 20 balls, against the Rajasthan Royals.

Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul holds the record for the quickest fifty in IPL history, from 14 balls, against the Delhi Capitals in Mohali in 2018.

Shaw’s partner Shikhar Dhawan came up with a 47-ball 46 with four boundaries and a six to retake the Orange Cap from Faf du Plessis of the Chennai Super Kings.

Shivam Mavi struggled to find his line and length and Shaw laid into him by carting the medium pacer for six consecutive boundaries as 25 runs came from the opening over.

That set the tone to the chase as the Delhi Capitals raced to 67 for no loss in the powerplay with Shaw having his skating boots on to reach 48 from just 16 deliveries. Dhawan, meanwhile, played the ideal foil and let his younger teammate have a go at it.

Shaw brought up his fifty with a single of Pat Cummins in the eighth over of the innings. He earned a reprieve when on 55 after Shubman Gill fluffed a tough chance near the ropes, and it went for a six.

Cummins, who was introduced late into the attack, in the sixth over by skipper Eoin Morgan, brought an end to the opening partnership of 132 runs from 87 balls. But it was a tad too late by then as the Delhi Capitals had almost put the contest to bed by then.

Cummins finished with 3-24.

The Delhi Capitals notched their fifth victory, while the Kolkata Knight Riders suffered their fifth defeat.

Earlier, all-rounder Andre Russell conjured a neat cameo lower down the order to help the Kolkata Knight Riders recover and post a decent total.

The West Indian celebrated his 33rd birthday by smashing an unbeaten 27-ball 45, studded with four sixes and two boundaries, to swell the score to 154-6 after the two-time champions had lost their way in the middle.

Opener Gill scored 43 from 38 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and a six.

Off-spinner Lalit Yadav picked two for 13 from his three overs, while left-arm spinner Axar Patel took two for 32.

After the openers Gill and Nitish Rana had put on 25 runs, Gill and Rahul Tripathi were stitched together 44 runs from 35 balls for the second wicket.

But they lost a flurry of wickets to leave them 82-5 after the 13th over. Russell and DInesh Karthik pulled them back with an alliance of 27 from 20 balls for the sixth wicket before Russell went on the rampage. He and Pat Cummins were involved in an unbroken 45-run stand from 23 deliveries for the seventh wicket.

The Delhi Capitals were forced to make a change with Amit Mishra ruled out due to a shoulder injury. Off-spinner Lalit Yadav replaced the veteran leg spinner.

The Kolkata Knight Riders went in with the same line-up that had beaten the Punjab Kings.

Next up, the Delhi Capitals go up against the Punjab Kings on Sunday, while the Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday.

james@khaleejtimes.com

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