Opened the innings for Delhi Daredevils, Quinton de Kock was the next best thing for the home side; the first being Mishra. The target of 112 though does not seem to be a challenging total as per the rules of this format of cricket, but Delhi’s performance in the last match was sufficient enough to raise uncertainty regarding the chase. However, in the end it all ended up in celebrations for the home side as they registered a handsome victory over the Kings XI Punjab.
Smasher yet responsible De Kock
One of the supreme hitters in the Delhi squad is Quinton de Kock, who made his intentions clear right from the very start. The opening pair of him and Shreyas Iyer couldn’t work out in the favours of the team, but his teaming with the third number batsman, Sanju Sanson, emerged impeccable. Before the right handed Indian talent joined the winning crusade, the South African was warded off his dismissal by a dropped catch of Murali Vijay. Once missed, that glorious chance never came again in the innings for the Kings.
Play Hard, Play Fair – Spirit of Cricket at #IPL @QuinnyDeKock69 @mvj888 @DelhiDaredevils @lionsdenkxip #DDvKXIPhttps://t.co/UQy2ulst61
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) 15 April 2016
Quinton De Kock through his wonderful innings of 59 unbeaten contributed primarily in the slaughtering of the best bowing attack of the Kings. Spin bowling, which proved effective for the daredevils, turned futile for the Kings. Though the prime spinner Axar Patel bowled out Sanju Samson at the score of 33, he had no tactics against the charging De Kock. Similarly, leg break spinner Pardeep Sahu also got punished brutally by the South African opener. Worst of his wrath was seen against the prime bowler, Mitchell Johnson, who was hit for 15 runs in his 2nd over. The bowler finished as the second most expensive bowler for the Punjab team.
The partnership of Quinton and Samson contributed 91 runs and thus, brought the very first triumph for Delhi in this year’s edition of the IPL.