Delhi exceed Yuvraj's all-round show

Delhi Daredevils 190 for 7 (Warner 46, Yuvraj 4-29) hit Pune Warriors 187 for 5 (Ryder 60, Yuvraj 66*) by three wickets

Delhi Daredevils used the deepness of their revamp batting order to complete a thrilling chase at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, secure their maiden victory after two losses, and handing Pune Warriors their first defeat in the 2011 IPL. Delhi's team effort upstaged a wonderful all-round presentation from Yuvraj Singh, whose half-century had motorized Pune to 187 before his four-wicket haul was the difference between Delhi winning at a canter and having to sweat awaiting the final over.

DELHI BATSMAN		R	B	4s	6s	SR
David Warner	run out (S Wagh/R Uthappa)	46	28	6	2	164.29
Virender Sehwag (c)	b J Ryder	37	23	6	0	160.87
Irfan Pathan	c S Wagh b Y Singh	14	16	1	0	87.50
Naman Ojha (wk)	st R Uthappa b Y Singh	11	9	0	1	122.22
Matthew Wade	lbw b R Sharma	3	4	0	0	75.00
Venugopal Rao	c A Jhunjhunwala b Y Singh	31	20	1	3	155.00
Aaron Finch	c & b Y Singh	25	12	1	2	208.33
James Hopes	not out	13	4	1	1	325.00
Shahbaz Nadeem	not out	0	0	0	0	0.00
Extras:	(b 1, lb 0, w 9, nb 0, p 0)	10
Total:	(7 wkts, 19.2 ovs)	190	RR:9.83

Did not bat: Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda

Bowling: PUNE	O	M	R	W	Nb	Wd	ER
Alfonso Thomas	2	0	22	0	0	0	11.00
Shrikant Wagh	3	0	38	0	0	2	12.70
Wayne Parnell	2	0	26	0	0	2	13.00
Rahul Sharma	4	0	29	1	0	0	7.20
Jesse Ryder	3.2	0	34	1	0	0	10.20
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala	1	0	11	0	0	1	11.00
Yuvraj Singh	4	0	29	4	0	0	7.20

 

PUNE BATSMAN		R	B	4s	6s	SR
Jesse Ryder	c A Finch b S Nadeem	60	27	5	5	222.22
Graeme Smith	c I Pathan b A Dinda	12	14	2	0	85.71
Mithun Manhas	c D Warner b J Hopes	20	18	1	1	111.11
Yuvraj Singh (c)	not out	66	32	4	5	206.25
Robin Uthappa (wk)	c D Warner b S Nadeem	4	10	0	0	40.00
Mohnish Mishra	c V Sehwag b A Dinda	7	11	0	0	63.64
Wayne Parnell	not out	10	9	1	0	111.11
Extras:	(b 1, lb 1, w 5, nb 1, p 0)	8
Total:	(5 wkts, 20 ovs)	187	RR:9.35

Did not bat: Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Rahul Sharma, Alfonso Thomas, Shrikant Wagh

Bowling: DELHI	O	M	R	W	Nb	Wd	ER
Venugopal Rao	1	0	14	0	0	0	14.00
Ashok Dinda	4	0	42	2	0	1	10.50
Irfan Pathan	3	0	28	0	0	1	9.30
Umesh Yadav	4	0	36	0	1	1	9.00
James Hopes	4	0	26	1	0	1	6.50
Shahbaz Nadeem	4	0	39	2	0	1	9.80

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Zulqarnain Haider to come back to Pakistan

 

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider is reportedly prepare to return to Pakistan and has said he is hopeful to recommence his playing career. Haider, who fled to London last year after claim he had established death threats from match-fixers, recommended he had been at peace by a meeting with Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik in London last week, and would withdraw his request for asylum in Britain. 

"After meeting with [the] interior minister and getting pledge of me and my family's safety in Pakistan, I have resolute to return home on April 24," Haider told from London. "After getting this assurance there is no need for me to carry on with my refuge application, which I will withdraw." 

Haider, 24, went absent from the Pakistan team's hotel in Dubai on the sunrise of the fifth and final ODI next to South Africa on November 8, saying he had received death threats from anonymous people seeking to draw him into match-fixing. 

In the consequences of his flight, Haider announced his international departure and his contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were suspended. A fact-finding committee subsequently set-up by the PCB to look into the issue failed to find any clear motives at the back his actions. A PCB official has said that there has been no speak to between the Board and Haider, and their only knowledge of his come back to Pakistan has come throughout media reports.

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Kallis, Gambhir power Kolkata to win

 

Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir hit inspiring half-centuries to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League on Friday.

South African Kallis top-scored with a 65-ball 80 not out while skipper Gambhir made an unbeaten 75 off just 44 balls as Kolkata achieved a 160-run target with nine deliveries to spare for their second win in three matches.

The pair added 152 for the incomplete second-wicket stand to make sure an easy victory for their team.

Left-handed Gambhir, caught off a no-ball when on 66, broken one six and 11 fours, including four boundaries in an over from seamer Amit Singh. Kallis hit two sixes and seven fours in his third succeeding half-century.

It was the first beat in three matches for Rajasthan, led by previous Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Kolkata spinners Yusuf Pathan (2-4) and Shakib Al Hasan (2-31) earlier shared four wickets to limit Rajasthan despite a 25-ball 35 not out by New Zealander Ross Taylor.

Off-spinner Pathan bowled previous India captain Rahul Dravid (35) and then held a return catch to account for Ashok Menaria (27) in the similar over to put pressure on Rajasthan.

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Shakib strike with his third release when he had opener Amit Paunikar (nine) wedged by Kallis.

He then got a big wicket when he bowled Australian all-rounder Shane Watson for 22, which came sour just 13 balls with the help of two sixes.

Watson recently smashed a record 15 sixes in his career-best 185 not out in the second one-day international alongside Bangladesh in Dhaka.

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