4.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! Caught at point! Lockie Ferguson takes down the big fish. The Kiwi dishes out another short delivery, it's outside off at 141.9 kph, Dhawan throws his bat at it as he attempts to cut it through the line. He does that well but fails to keep it down. Venkatesh Iyer stretches his hands out to his left and takes an easy catch. A big blow to Delhi as their in-form batsman departs.
4.5 overs (0 Run) Play and a miss! Pacy delivery. A touch short and outside off at 144 kph, Dhawan stands back to hammer it through the line but misses.
4.4 overs (0 Run) Lockie switches 'round the wicket for the left-hander. Delivers it short and outside off, Dhawan cuts but finds the point fielder.
4.3 overs (1 Run) On a length, around off, Smith walks across and works it behind square leg for a single.
4.2 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Stylish! Ferguson angles in a length ball around off, Smith leans across a bit and whips it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
4.1 overs (1 Run) Fuller in length and outside off, Dhawan goes hard at it and inside-edges it towards mid-wicket. They cross for a quick run.
Lockie Ferguson comes into the attack now.
3.6 overs (1 Run) Short in length, wide outside off, Dhawan flat-bats it through backward point for a single.
Review time! Tim Southee thinks that he has got his man here so he has asked Eoin Morgan to opt for a review as Shikhar Dhawan has been struck on his pads.
3.5 overs (0 Run) NOT OUT! Southee angles it in, on a length around middle, Dhawan stays back to work it across the line but misses. He is rapped on the pads, they appeal but the finger stays down. Morgan has a word with his players before taking the review. UltraEdge takes some time to load. It comes on eventually. No bat involved. Ball Tracker shows that it's clipping the top of the leg stump. Umpire's call.
3.4 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Dhawan is looking in fine touch! He advances down the track to a length ball around off and spanks it past the cover fielder for a boundary. That went to the fence in a flash.
3.3 overs (1 Run) Fuller in length, around off, Smith flicks it firmly to deep square leg for a single.
3.2 overs (1 Run) Identical to the last delivery, short and a tad wide outside off, Dhawan cuts it to deep point for a single.
3.1 overs (0 Run) Play and a miss! Slightly short and outside off, Dhawan stays back to cut but fails to connect.
2.6 overs (0 Run) Beaten on the drive! Excellent delivery from Sandeep. Lands it full and outside off, enticing the drive from Smith but it straightens to beat the outside edge. 10 from the over!
2.5 overs (0 Run) Swing and a miss! There is no need for Smith to do this. On a length and outside off, Smith attempts for a cross-batted heave but fails to connect.
2.4 overs (1 Run) Smart batting. Two boundaries and now a single for Dhawan. Shortish and outside off, Dhawan plays it down towards point for a single.
2.3 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! More runs, this one is a bit whippy from Dhawan. It's overpitched and around middle, Dhawan latches onto it and smacks it to the deep square leg fence.
2.2 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Easy pickings! Operating from 'round the wicket angle, Warrier cannot afford to get too straight with his line. It's full and on middle, Dhawan uses the angle to his advantage and flicks it easily through mid-wicket.
2.1 overs (1 Run) On a good length, around off, Smith tucks it through square leg and picks up a single.
1.6 overs (0 Run) Southee switches to 'round the wicket and angles in a length ball on off, Dhawan defends it from the crease.
1.5 overs (0 Run) Good stop! On a length around off, Dhawan shimmies down the track and smashes it down to mid off. The fielder there is alert and makes a fine stop.
1.4 overs (4 Runs) EDGY FOUR! Southee angles across a delivery around off, on a fuller length, Dhawan tries to force it through the line but it takes the outer edge and runs wide of short third man for a boundary.
1.3 overs (1 Run) Tap and run. Around off, on a length, Smith drops it down with soft hands to cover-point and pinches a single.
1.2 overs (0 Run) Another delivery, full, around middle, Smith helps it off his pads but finds the mid-wicket fielder.
1.1 overs (2 Runs) Southee starts by angling in a full ball around off, Smith walks across and nudges it to the right of mid on for a couple of runs.
Tim Southee will bowl from the other end.
0.6 over (0 Run) Fuller and around leg, Dhawan bunts it down towards mid on. Smith looks for a run but it's a big no from Dhawan. 5 coming from the opening over!
0.5 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Dhawan is off the mark. Sandeep Warrier serves a friendly full toss on middle, Dhawan is not going to miss out on that. He picks it up, uses his wrists well and places his shot behind square leg for a boundary, first of the match.
0.4 over (0 Run) Sandeep Warrier goes fuller this time, it's on middle and Dhawan drives it back to the bowler.
0.3 over (0 Run) Short again, this time outside off, Dhawan rocks back to cut but fails to middle his shot. It takes the bottom half of the blade and rolls behind point. The slip fielder rushes ahead to pick up the ball.
0.2 over (0 Run) Back of a length, around leg, Dhawan tries to work it around but misses. It takes his thigh pad and falls near the pitch. Smith eyes a leg bye but is sent back.
0.1 over (1 Run) Trademark shuffle across the stumps from Steven Smith. He works a fuller delivery behind square leg and opens his account with a single.
We are all set for the game to begin! The players of Kolkata have made their way out to the middle. Shikhar Dhawan has a new opening partner in Steven Smith for this fixture and both of them are at the crease! Sandeep Warrier will start with the ball for Kolkata. Here we go...
Sunil Narine, the mystery spinner, comes up for a quick chat. Says that they need to deal with pressure much better and close out the games smartly. Feels that the team which will bowl well today will win the game as it is a smaller ground. Tells that he and Varun Chakravarthy have a chat before and also during the game regarding the batters and how they should bowl to them.
Delhi (Playing XI) - Steven Smith (In for Prithvi Shaw), Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan.
Kolkata (Playing XI) - Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (C), Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakaravarthy, Tim Southee (In for Andre Russell), Sandeep Warrier (In for Prasidh Krishna).
Rishabh Pant, the skipper of Delhi, says that they were looking to bat first anyway as they don't know how the pitch will behave. He feels the wicket is slow and 150-160 should be a good score. Adds they want to take one game at a time and he hopes they can do well. Mentions they want to win this one and ensure qualification. Informs that Prithvi Shaw is injured and Steven Smith will replace him in the XI.
Eoin Morgan, the captain of Kolkata, says he is not sure how the wicket will play, it does not look like a belter and hence, he wants to bowl. Shares that he was playing golf yesterday and celebrated Brendon McCullum's birthday. Tells that as a team they are very focused on playing one game at a time. Mentions that they have played some good cricket in the second phase and he hopes this continues and they can slowly move up the ladder. Informs they have two changes, Andre Russel misses out and Prasidh Krishna also is out, Tim Southee and Sandeep Warrier replace them.
Toss - Rishabh Pant and Eoin Morgan are in the middle. The latter flips the coin, Pant calls incorrectly and KOLKATA ELECT TO BOWL!
Pitch report - Matthew Hayden is near the surface. The Aussie starts by saying that the wicket has been usually slow and the batters have struggled. Adds that the surface does not have a lot of grass and the bowlers opt for cross-seam deliveries which cause problems for the batsmen. Hayden feels that as a batting team you need to make the most of the Powerplay.
Update - Tim Southee is all set to make his Indian T20 League debut for Kolkata. The Kiwi has previously represented Chennai, Rajasthan, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Kagiso Rabada comes up for a quick chat! The speedster starts by saying that they are in the best possible space and playing well as a team. Adds that they are looking to continue with this winning run as far as possible. On his role, Rabada replies that he is mentally prepared to do anything and nothing is taken for granted in this team. Tells that he is ready to bowl and ready to adapt to any situation. Regarding Anrich Nortje, Rabada tells that he plays with him for South Africa as well and they always talk about the game and share a good bond. On facing Kolkata, KG replies that they are a dangerous side and looking in some good form, and reckons that it's not going to be an easy game. Further says that Delhi will have to keep doing things that they have been doing so far.
Update - Andre Russell is expected to miss this match after suffering a hamstring injury. Big blow to Kolkata in both the departments. Ben Cutting appears to be the likeliest replacement for the big West Indian.
Over the years, Kolkata used to dominate this fixture and it's evident in the head-to-head battle as well. But Delhi have started to respond now and have won 5 out of their last six games against Kolkata. On current form, Delhi can be counted as favourites but Kolkata have the ability to take them down. Who will win this bout?
A warm welcome to everyone for the coverage. It's going to be a tasty Tuesday with two games lined up. We're here for Match 41 between Delhi and Kolkata with the former having one leg in the playoffs and the latter still caught in the middle muddle. Both teams have been in great form since resumption and we can expect a close game in Sharjah.
... MATCH DAY ...
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