Pant made his maiden IPL fifty
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Delhi Daredevils opener Rishabh Pant smashed a spectacular 69 to lead his side to an eight-wicket win over the Gujarat Lions.
Opting to bowl first, the Daredevils ripped through the Lions’ top order, reducing them to 24/3 in the fourth over.
However, a quickfire 24 by captain Suresh Raina put them back on track before wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik took over and hammered a brilliant 53, which came off 43 balls and included five boundaries.
Karthik scored a valiant 53
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
With Ravindra Jadeja adding an unbeaten 36 at the end of the innings, the Lions managed to reach 149/7 off their 20 overs.
Shahbaz Nadeem picked up two wickets, while Chris Morris, Mohammed Shami, Amit Mishra and captain Zaheer Khan chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 150 to win, the Daredevils got off to a superb start as Pant and Quinton de Kock amassed a 115-run partnership before Pant was caught behind off the bowing of Jadeja for 69, which came off 40 balls and included nine boundaries and two sixes.
Despite losing De Kock soon after for 46, the Daredevils still went on to win the match with 16 balls to spare.
Jadeja and Shivil Kaushik took one wicket each.
Pant was named Man of the Match.