Sehwag's dare sets IPL stage ablaze

A belligerent unbeaten 41-ball 94 by Delhi dasher Virender Sehwag annihilated Deccan Chargers bowling attack, leading the Delhi Daredevils team to register an easy nine-wicket win in the Indian Premier League match played here tonight.

Sehwag was on rampage as if Lord Hanuman‘s power integrated within him on Tuesday night. His devastating knock included 10 hits to the boundaries, besides six sky-scraping sixes.

Chasing the modest target of 143, Daredevils’ skipper Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (12) got off to flying start despite the left-hander couldn’t be able to add on much as he got out in the fourth over but the runs kept coming thick and fast with Sehwag on fire.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma's resolute knock of 36-ball 66 had supported Deccan Chargers to reach the modest total of 142 for eight after the hosts had lost half of their side with only 60 runs on board at one stage.

Delhi Daredevils attained the target with consummate ease in just 13 overs losing only one wicket to record their successive victory.

The man who dares has always had luck riding on his side, as Sehwag was lucky to get an amnesty on two occasions. First at the score of 13 when Pragyan Ojha dropped him off Chaminda Vaas and later Adam Gilchrist gave away an easy stumping opportunity off Ojha.

Another Delhi’s flashy player Shikhar Dhawan, who remained uneaten on 25, was just standing on the other side of the crease as a mere spectator. Dhawan perfectly played the role of second fiddle.

Deccan Chargers skipper VVS Laxman's decision to bat first backfired as the hosts were struggling to fight their feet in the middle with the score reading 45 for four inside 10 overs.

Explosive Adam Gilchrist (8) heaved an effortless six to Asif before dragging a delivery onto his stumps. Gilchrist soon followed by skipper Laxman (2) back in the dug out. Maharoof too claimed two quick scalps of Y Venugopala Rao (14) and the danger man Andrew Symonds (12) in as many overs to make it worse further.

Deccan chargers team was in ruins and everyone was expecting from Pakistan bomber Shahid Afridi (2) to explode but the Pakistani swashbuckler could only be able to play just seven balls before Bhatia trapped him in front.

SCOREBOARD

Deccan Chargers A. Gilchrist b Asif 8, Y. Venugopala Rao c Dhawan b Maharoof 14, V.V. S. Laxman b Asif 2, A. Symonds c Karthik b Maharoof 12, Rohit c McGrath b Bhatia 66, S. Afridi lbw b Bhatia 2, S. Bangar (run out) 8, Arjun Yadav c Gambhir b Yomahesh 12, C. Vaas (not out) 12, R.P. Singh (not out) 1; Extras (lb-3, w-1, nb-1): 5

Total: 142 for eight wickets in 20 overs Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-23, 3-36, 4-45, 5-60, 6-82, 7-123, 8-129. Delhi Daredevils Bowling: McGrath 4-1-22-0, Asif 4-0-19-2, Maharoof 4-0-36-2, Yomahesh 4-0-35-1, Bhatia 4-0-27-2.

Delhi Daredevils G. Gambhir c Gilchrist b R.P. Singh 12, V. Sehwag (not out) 94, S. Dhawan (not out) 25; Extras (w-7, pen-5): 12

Total: 143 for one wicket in 13 overs Fall of wicket: 1-31. Deccan Chargers Bowling: Vaas 3-0-22-0, R.P. Singh 3-0-27-1, Bangar 2-0-30-0, Afridi 2-0-17-0, Symonds 2-0-35-0, Ojha 1-0-7-0.