Inspired Iyer drives Delhi Daredevils to victory

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An inspired knock of 96 from Shreyas Iyer helped get the Delhi Daredevils past the Gujarat Lions in a thrilling IPL chase.

The Lions had posted an imposing total of 195 for 5 thanks largely to a belligerent knock of 69 of 39 balls from Aaron Finch but DD got home with 2 balls and 2 wickets to spare.

Having lost Dwayne Smith (8) and Suresh Raina (6) in the powerplay Ishan Kishan (34) and Dinesh Karthik (40) layed a good platform from which Finch would launch.

Finch smashed four sixes and six fours in his innings that stretched from the 7th over until the 19th when Mohammed Shami castled the Aussie.

Ravindra Jadeja (13*) and Aaron Finch (14*) would see out the innings but couldn’t get the Gujarat Lions over 200.

DD’s chase got off to a shaky start when they lost Sanju Samson (10) and Risabh Pant (4) in the second over of the innings.

Karun Nair (30) and Iyer would put on 57 for the third wicket though which kept the Daredevils in the contest.

Jadeja effected two run outs first seeing the back of Marlon Samuels (1) with a direct hit before repeating the feat to send Corey Anderson (6) back to the dugout.

Iyer held his nerve even when he lost Brathwaite (11) and things began to look like they were heading the way of the Gujarat Lions.

Pat Cummins cameo of 24 off 13 balls formed part of a 61 run partnership with Iyer that swung the game in the Delhi franchises favour.

Iyer fell just four short of what would have been a well deserved ton but the job was just about done and Amit Mishra would smash two fours in two balls to get them over.

Man of the match Iyer said after the contest: “I’d have been more happy with finishing the game. I wasn’t thinking much about my hundred, I decided at the start I would bat till the end. Hundred doesn’t matter, winning the game does. I was just trying to time the ball, was getting the ball in my areas. two matches left, let’s hope I get two more Man of the Matches.”

Delhi Daredevils Gujarat Lions IPL Shreyas Iyer

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