Delhi Daredevils beat Kochi Tuskers by 38 runs

The hosts reached 37 for three in six overs but the situation deteriorated when Jayawardene became a victim Ajit Agarkar in the 10th over.It could have been worse for the hosts had Pathan not dropped Hodge,then on 15,off van der Merwe in the next over.

Morkel though ensured that Pathan’s mistake does not cost them dear as he had the Australian caught behind in the 14th over. Balachandra Akhil hit some lusty blows but could not last long and became the third victim of Morkel.

Earlier,Sehwag played a true captain’s knock as it came on a very difficult track and under difficult circumstances.

Yogesh Nagar (22) and Travis Birt (20) also supported Sehwag well as they shared 56 and 41 runs stand with their skipper for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively.

Sehwag got out in the 18th over when he attempted a big shot off Vinay Kumar,but not before hitting eight fours and five sixes.

Seamer S Sreesnath was most successful bowler for the hosts as he gave away just 10 runs in his four overs and scalped two top-order batsmen.

It was a horror start for Delhi after electing to bat as Sreesanth bowled David Warner (3) and trapped Naman Ojha (0) in his first over,second of the innings.But both the batsmen were unlucky as both the balls kept low,specially the ball in which Ojha was declared lbw,was almost unplayable.

The track was double paced and the uneven bounce made life tough for the batsmen. Sehwag though was in no mood to go without a fight as he quickly extracted four boundaries,three off the RP Singh’s overs.

Delhi reached 34 for two in six but Ravindra Jadeja made it 37 for three by trapping Y Venugopal Rao (1) and Delhi’s innings was in complete disarray.

There was no space for extravagance and Sehwag too decided to hold the one end tight as Delhi reached 46 for three after 10 overs.

The fourth boundary of the innings came from the blade of Yogesh Nagar,who dispatched one from Vinay Kumar to the extra cover fence. Sehwag upped the ante by hitting Jadeja for back-to-back sixes and then raised his half-century by pulling Vinay Kumar for a six over mid-wicket in the 15th over. Nagar was run out in the same over but now there was no stopping Sehwag,who smashed Balachandra Akhil for a six and two fours in the next over. Spinner Romesh Powar was given the similar treatment but Sehwag could play till the end.