Prior to the match number 52 of the Indian premier League (IPL) 10, it was a must-win situation for the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) so as to qualify for the play-offs. But by the end of the game, Delhi Daredevils (DD) turned the game upside down and defeated RPS by 7 runs. With this defeat, Pune failed to enter the qualifiers today but they still have the last chance for the same in their next game against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) on May 14.
Earlier today, Delhi skipper Zaheer Khan won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite a poor start, several supportive knocks from Rishabh Pant (36), Marlon Samuels (27) and a massive 64 from Karun Nair helped the home team to put 168 runs on the board by the end of 20 overs.
RPS players had a straight aim in their that was to defend these 169 runs, win the game and enter the play-offs. Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Tripathi came to open the innings but had a hard luck right in the beginning. Zaheer Khan dismissed Rahane in the very first ball of the inning and Pune were at 0/1.
Rahul Tripathi and skipper Steven Smith took the charge to score at that point but soon this partnership was dented by the Delhi skipper as he struck once again and dismissed Tripathi after he had scored7 runs off 6 balls.
Manoj Tiwari who came in at number 4 played a very good inning midway. Along with the Pune skipper, he brewed up a partnership of 38 runs for the 3rd wicket followed by another one of 51 runs with Ben Stokes for the 4th wicket.
Meanwhile, he also faced a lack of partners after Smith (38) and Stokes (33) were dismissed by Shahbaz Nadeem and Mohammad Shami respectively. Dhoni (5) and dan Christian (3) failed to accompany him. He fought till the end where 25 runs were needed from 6 balls.
He hit two sixes off the first two balls. Not only he gave his team a hope to win but also completed his another IPL 10 half-century. But two back-to-back dot balls by Pat Cummins in the last over took the game away from Pune and with the dismissal of Tiwary in the last ball, RPS lost the game by 7 runs.
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