New Delhi [India], August 5 : West Delhi Lions cruised to a commanding 8-wicket victory over South Delhi Superstarz, courtesy of a sensational opening stand between Ankit Kumar and wicketkeeper-batter Krish Yadav in the second season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Chasing a target of 186, the Lions' opening pair came out all guns blazing. Ankit Kumar and Krish Yadav stitched together a massive 158-run partnership in just 14 overs, putting the chase firmly in their team's grasp. Krish Yadav was eventually dismissed for a fluent 67 off 42 balls, an innings that included some crisp strokeplay and smart running.
Ankit Kumar, on the other hand, fell heartbreakingly short of a century, getting out for a magnificent 96 off just 46 deliveries. His knock was laced with 11 boundaries and six towering sixes.
Earlier in the match, South Delhi Superstarz had a solid start to their innings. Openers Kunwar Bidhuri and Sumit Mathur added 74 runs for the first wicket, with Bidhuri scoring a brisk 42 off 27 balls and Mathur contributing a composed 33 off 29. Captain Ayush Badoni added a vital 48 off 25 in the middle overs, playing a captain's knock when needed.
However, the Superstarz lost momentum after the middle overs, losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually finishing on 185/7. The Lions' bowlers tightened the screws during the death overs, with Anirudh Chowdhary leading the way. He finished with excellent figures of 3/25 in his 4 overs. Manan Bhardwaj supported well with 2/23, while Hrithik Shokeen also chipped in with 1/16. It was a comprehensive performance by the West Delhi Lions to clinch a comfortable win.
Earlier in the day, Suyash Sharma and Shaurya Malik delivered a bowling masterclass as Outer Delhi Warriors crushed Purani Dilli 6 by a commanding 82 runs. Defending a modest total of 149, Outer Delhi came out firing with the ball.
Young spinner Suyash Sharma set the tone early, ripping through the top order during the powerplay. He claimed three key wicketsSamarth Seth (18), captain Vansh Bedi (1), and Pranav Pant (6) while Aarush Malhotra (5) was also dismissed inside the first six overs, leaving Purani Dilli in deep trouble at 31/4.
The collapse continued as an unfortunate run-out saw Dev Lakra (5) depart in the eighth over. In the very next over, Shaurya Malik inflicted further damage, striking twice in two balls to dismiss Yug Gupta (1) and Ekansh Dobal (0). The right-arm quick wasn't done yethe returned to trap Aayush Singh (4) in front of the stumps, reducing Purani Dilli 6 to a dismal 50/8. There was no coming back from there as Outer Delhi Warriors registered a commanding win.
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