Bengaluru: Quinton de Kock smashed the first century of the ongoing Indian Premier League to power Delhi Daredevils to a comprehensive seven wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore today.
Chasing an imposing 192 for win, De Kock blazed his way to 108 off just 51 balls with the help off a whopping 15 boundaries and three sixes and in the company of young Karun Nair (54 off 42) added 134 runs off 12.4 overs for the third wicket to help Darvedevils overwhelm the target with five balls to spare.
However, the Daredevils did not have the best of starts as they lost Shreyas Iyer early, courtesy a brilliant cor-ordinated catch between Shane Watson and David Wiese at the long-off boundary off Sreenath Aravind's final delivery of the first over off the innings.
Next in Sanju Samson too did not last long as he offered a regulation catch to Yuzvendra Chahal at midwicket off Watson (2/25) in the sixth over with Daredevils score at 50 for two in 5.4 overs.
But thereafter it was all De Kock and Nair show as duo took the below-par RCB attack to task and played real cricketing shots, helped by some luck to keep Daredevils in the hunt on a small ground.
De Kock might have been the architect of Daredevils chase with his brilliant century but credit should also go to young Nair who gave the South African able support from the other end and in the process struck six boundaries and a six to remain unbeaten on 54.
Earlier, Virat Kohli played a captain's knock with a quickfire 79, while A B de Villers made a brisk 55 before Delhi Daredevils pulled things back a little towards the end to restrict Royal Challengers Bangalore to 191 for five.
At the M Chinnaswmay Stadium where the average score is 200 plus, RCB at one stage looked on course to achieve the target when Kohli and De Villiers were going great guns before Daredevils made some sort of a comeback.
