IPL 2017: Delhi Win By 7 Runs, Keep Pune Waiting For Play-off Berth

Delhi Daredevils produced a clinical bowling display to beat Rising Pune Supergiant by seven runs and dent the visiting side's chances of a Play-off berth in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday. Electing to bat, Delhi put up 168 for 8 on the back of Karun Nair's 64 off 45 balls and Rishabh Pant's 36 off 22 deliveries and defended the total by restricting Pune to 161 for 7 at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Chasing 169 for a win, Pune were set up well by captain Steven Smith (38), Manoj Tiwary (60) and Ben Stokes (33) but in the end they fell short by seven runs.

Needing 25 runs from the final over bowled by Pat Cummins, Tiwary raised hopes of a dramatic win by hitting two sixes off the first two balls but finally fell short and was out in the last ball.

The Delhi bowlers choked up the runs in the closing stages of the Pune run chase.

Zaheer Khan and Mohammed Shami took two wickets apiece while Shahbaz Nadeem and Pat Cummins got one each.

Pune remained at third spot with 16 points from 13 matches. They can still make it to the Play-offs if defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad lose to Gujarat Lions on Saturday. Otherwise, their last match against Kings XI Punjab on May 14 will be a virtual knock-out for a Play-offs berth.

Delhi are already out of reckoning and they are now at sixth with 12 points from 13 matches.

Earlier, Karun Nair struck his first half century of the season to take Daredevils to 168 for 8 after opting to bat. Nair (64 off 45) and Rishabh Pant (36 off 22) set the platform for Delhi before regular fall of wickets pushed them back.

Pune bowlers did well to contain Delhi towards the end and were complemented well by the fielders. One such example was when Stokes showed great presence of mind at the deep midwicket boundary to complete the catch on his second attempt, seeing the back of Mohammed Shami.