IPL 2018: Shivam Mavi spoils Gautam Gambhir's 'homecoming' as Kolkata Knight Riders thrash Delhi Daredevils

Ashish Peter - Senior Writer 22:17 16/04/2018
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    • Gambhir has said he never stood down as a player. Image - IPL/Twitter.

    Gautam Gambhir’s return to the Eden Gardens wasn’t a happy one as his Delhi Daredevils side fell to a heavy 71-run defeat against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

    After the home side had put up 200/9 on the board after being put into bat first, the Daredevils failed miserably with the bat as they were bowled out for 129 runs in under 15 overs.

    We look at the key talking points from the IPL clash.

    TRENT BOULT BRINGS BACK THE MAIDEN

    While the runs have been flowing in the year’s IPL with no total being safe, bowlers have caught the short end of the stick on many occasions. There was a welcome change to the domination by batsmen as Trent Boult delivered the first maiden of the 2018 edition.

    Opening the bowling for Delhi Daredevils, the New Zealand ace had Australia’s big-hitting Chris Lynn to contend with first up. The left-armed pacer bowled with accuracy and speed as he beat the Kolkata Knight Riders opener a couple of times before bringing up the maiden. It was a decent outing for Boult as he finished with economical figures of 2-29 off his four overs.

    RUSSELL LAUNCHES ANOTHER SENSATIONAL ASSUALT

    Andre Russell had given a timely reminder of his six-hitting powers when he smashed a 33-ball 88 against Chennai Super Kings. That swashbuckling innings featured 11 sixes. On Monday, he started in the very same fashion as he hit Mohammed Shami for three sixes in the 15th over of Kolkata’s innings. Shami would get the same treatment from the West Indies all-rounder in his next over as Russell carted him for three more sixes.

    Russell was looking good to break KL Rahul’s record of the fastest IPL fifty (off 14 balls) before he was clean-bowled by Boult. Without hitting a single boundary, his 12-ball 41 had changed the momentum of the game completely and set Kolkata up for a huge total.

    TEWATIA’S EXTRAORDINARY FINAL OVER

    Heading into the 20th over of their innings at 199-6, the Knight Riders had set themselves up perfectly for one final assault on the Delhi Daredevils bowling. As such, the task for leg-spinner Rahul Tewatia was cut out as he was thrown the ball by his skipper.

    In what would turn out to be a remarkable final over for any T20 game, the single taken off the first ball by Tom Curran would end up being the only run to come off it.

    Giving the ball a lot of air, Tewatia then went on to account for the wickets of Shubman Gill, Piyush Chawla and Curran as the hosts were left wondering what hit them. To turn to his leg-spinner for the final over was a brave move by Gambhir and it paid off handsomely.

    MAVI SPOILS GAMBHIR’S HOMECOMING

    After seven seasons with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise where he led the side to two IPL titles, it was always going to be an emotional homecoming for Gambhir as he returned to the Eden Gardens.

    Unfortunately for 36-year-old, it will not be one to remember after the Daredevils skipper lasted only seven balls with the bat in hand. The left-hander was dismissed by India U19 World Cup winning pacer Shivam Mavi who looked to be on song in only his second IPL outing.

    Gambhir was a touch late in attempting to cut the wiry speedster and could only inside-edge the ball onto his stumps to complete a dismal return to his old stomping ground.

    THE MAXWELL SHOW FINALLY ARRIVES BUT IT IS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

    With scores of just 17 and 13 in his previous two outings for Delhi Daredevils, Glenn Maxwell had failed to really lift-off in IPL 2018 until Monday.

    The maverick Australian batsman finally found his range as he brought out his signature big hits at the Eden Gardens. Maxwell slammed four sixes and three boundaries as he quickly raced away to 47 off just 21 balls.

    Just when the swashbuckling Aussie was finding some form, he threw his wicket away to a rank half-tracker from Kuldeep Yadav. With his dismissal, any remaining hopes for Daredevils scripting an unlikely victory faded into oblivion.

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