West Delhi Lions cruised to a commanding 8-wicket victory over South Delhi Superstarz, thanks to a sensational opening stand between Ankit Kumar and wicketkeeper-batter Krish Yadav in the second season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Chasing a target of 186, the Lions’ opening pair came out all guns blazing. Ankit Kumar and Krish Yadav stitched together a massive 158-run partnership in just 14 overs, putting the chase firmly in their team’s grasp. Krish Yadav was eventually dismissed for a fluent 67 off 42 balls, an innings that included some crisp strokeplay and smart running.
Ankit Kumar, on the other hand, fell heartbreakingly short of a century, getting out for a magnificent 96 off just 46 deliveries. His knock was laced with 11 boundaries and six towering sixes.
Earlier in the match, South Delhi Superstarz had a solid start to their innings. Openers Kunwar Bidhuri and Sumit Mathur added 74 runs for the first wicket, with Bidhuri scoring a brisk 42 off 27 balls and Mathur contributing a composed 33 off 29. Captain Ayush Badoni added a vital 48 off 25 in the middle overs, playing a captain’s knock when needed.
However, the Superstarz lost momentum after the middle overs, losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually finishing on 185/7. The Lions’ bowlers tightened the screws during the death overs, with Anirudh Chowdhary leading the way. He finished with excellent figures of 3/25 in his 4 overs. Manan Bhardwaj supported well with 2/23, while Hrithik Shokeen also chipped in with 1/16.
It was a comprehensive all-round performance by the West Delhi Lions to clinch a comfortable win.
