IPL 2021: Sublime KKR Bowling Performance Restricts DC to 127/9 at Sharjah

Delhi Capitals were without Prithvi Shaw due to an injury and had Steve Smith take his place.

Kolkata Knight Riders' bowlers produced a fantastic performance in very difficult conditions as they restricted the dangerous Delhi Capitals batting to 127/9.

KKR brought in Tim Southee for Andre Russell, who is out injured while DC had to replace Prithvi Shaw with Steve Smith. For KKR, Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer picked 2 wickets each as they helped tie down the DC batters.

DC did not hit any sixes at Sharjah, it was the first time in the IPL at the stadium that an innings did not have a six in it.

In what were really hot conditions, DC with Steve Smith and Shikhar Dhawan were hoping to get their side off to a good start. With Prithvi Shaw out injured, DC’s attacking impetus at the top of the order wasn’t as pronounced on the day.

The DC openers found it tough to get going and Dhawan was the first to be dismissed, having hit five fours in his 24. The southpaw was caught in the covers by Venkatesh Iyer off Lockie Ferguson.

Two deliveries after the powerplay was completed, Shreyas Iyer was cleaned up by Sunil Narine for 1 off 5 deliveries, as Smith at the other end was trying his best to keep the scoring rate going as fast as possible.

Smith was joined by captain Rishabh Pant, but both continued to find it tough to break the shackles against KKR’s spinners kept things tight.

Overs 10 and 11 produced 21 runs for Smith and Pant as Narine and Iyer bore the brunt of that. Smith though was dismissed in the 12^th over as he tried to improvise and inside edged it onto his stumps. The Australian was Ferguson’s second wicket and was gone for 39 with the partnership adding 37 to the cause.

Pant was joined Shimron Hetmyer, however the pressure told on the new man, who was dismissed for 4 by Iyer.

Hetmyer was looking to clear long off and was caught by Tim Southee, with the score reading 88/4 in the 14^th over.

Next in was Lalit Yadav, who found Narine too tough to play, and had to make the walk back for 0 after three deliveries. Narine finished his spell with figures of 2/18. Not too long later, Axar Patel was gone for 0 as Iyer picked his second wicket.

Pant was joined by R Ashwin and the duo dragged DC to 120 before the spinner was caught in the deep off Southee in the final over for 9. Ashwin’s dismissal was followed by the players on both sides exchanging a few words with the batter, Southee and Morgan having a say while Dinesh Karthik and Pant helped diffuse the situation.

Pant however was run out a couple of deliveries later as they tried to take a quick 2 for 39. Avesh Khan and Kagiso Rabada managed to DC to 127/9.