DPL: Purani Dilli 6 stay in contention with win over Lions

Purani Dilli 6 huffed and puffed their way to a six-wicket victory over West Delhi Lions in a low-scoring Delhi Premier League encounter at the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds in the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

The win, built on a four-wicket haul by Aayush Singh, kept Purani Dilli 6 in contention for a semi-final spot, as they currently sit third on the points table.

Chasing a target of 140, Purani Dilli 6 began positively, with captain Arpit Rana scoring 20 off 13 balls and his opening partner, Manjeet, contributing 32 off 26 deliveries. However, their momentum was briefly halted after the quick dismissals of Rana and Yug Gupta (12), prompting a more cautious approach. This strategy backfired as they lost two more wickets in quick succession of Manjeet and Arnav Bagga, who managed only six runs off 14 balls, thus leaving the team struggling at 82/4 after 12 overs.

Wicketkeeper-batter Keshav Dalal and Lalit Yadav forged a crucial 59-run partnership to guide their team to victory. Dalal played a match-winning knock, remaining unbeaten on 47 off 30 balls, hitting 5 fours and a six. Lalit Yadav provided valuable support, scoring 17 off 16 balls, including a six, as Purani Dilli 6 crossed the finishing line in 18.1 overs.

Earlier, despite the solid start provided by Krish Yadav, the West Delhi Lions struggled to build partnerships, and the disciplined bowling attack from Purani Dilli 6 ensured they couldn't post a more competitive total. The efforts of Aayush Singh and his teammates proved decisive in restricting the Lions to a below-par score, setting the stage for an intriguing chase in the second innings.

Medium-pacer Aayush, who was the standout performer, took four wickets for just 25 runs in his allotted four overs and was well-supported by Yash Bhardwaj, who picked up three crucial wickets, while Prince Yadav and Yug Gupta chipped in with two and one wickets, respectively.

Aayush is now the highest wickettaker in the tournament with 16 wickets.

“I am trying to win matches for the team. I am not worried, I go for wickets. My plan is to win the DPL and hold onto the purple cap (given to highest wickettaker),” said the pace bowler.  

Brief Scores

West Delhi Lions 139/10 in 19.3 overs (Krish Yadav 43 off 32, Tishant Dabla 26 off 12, Aayush Singh 4/25) lost to Purani Dilli 6 141/4 in 18.1 overs (Keshav Dalal 47 off 30, Manjeet 32 off 26, Saksham Gahlot 2/22)

Tags : Delhi Premier League, Cricket, Aayush Singh, Krish Yadav, Purani Dilli 6, West Delhi Lions, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Ferozeshah Kotla