Delhi's Kuldeep Yadav Registers 2nd Highest Score By Batter At Number Nine Or Below In IPL History
Kolkata : Ace India and Delhi Capitals (DC) spinner Kuldeep Yadav registered the second-highest score by a player batting at number nine or lower in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.
Kuldeep accomplished this feat during his side's IPL game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.
In the game, Kuldeep came with DC in deep trouble at 101/7 in 13.3 overs. He managed to deliver a decent cameo of 35 runs in 26 balls, with five fours and a six. His strike rate was over 134. He managed to stay unbeaten till the end and took DC to a modest total of 153 runs.
The highest-score by a batter batting at number nine or below is by Mumbai Indians (MI) Harbhajan Singh, who scored 49* in 18 balls to take MI to a match-winning total of 172/7 against Deccan Chargers from a terrible position of 119/7.
Coming to the game, DC opted to bat first after winning the toss and they never really got going as a batting unit. Skipper Rishabh had made 27 in 20 balls, with two fours and a six and looked to be the only batter with a decent contribution, until spinner Kuldeep Yadav (35* in 26 balls, with five fours and a six) helped the Capitals save face and score 153/9 in their 20 overs.
Varun Chakravarthy's spin worked its magic in middle overs and he took 3/16 in four overs. Harshit Rana (2/28) and Vaibhav Arora also shined with the ball. Mitchell Starc, and Sunil Narine got a wicket each as well.
In the run-chase of 154, Phil Salt (68 in 33 balls, with seven fours and five sixes) took the game single-handedly from DC. Though DC got some wickets, skipper Shreyas Iyer (33 in 23 balls, with three fours and a six) and Venkatesh Iyer (26 in 23 balls, with three fours and a six) helped KKR seal a win with seven wickets and 21 balls in hand.
Axar Patel (2/25) was the top bowler for DC while Lizaad Williams also got one wicket.
Varun took home the 'Player of the Match' award.
KKR is in second place with six wins and three losses, giving them 12 points. DC is in sixth place with five wins and six losses, giving them 10 points.
