Supergiants hurt Daredevils' prospects

Hello and welcome to the live commentary and match updates for the IPL match between Rising Pune Supergiants and Delhi Daredevils in Visakhapatnam.

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And what a damp squib result to a match that Delhi Daredevils lost through sheer indifference and under-performance. Ajinkya Rahane and Usman Khawaja began the chase of 122 with the free-flowing mindset that Chris Morris had displayed in the final over of the Daredevils' innings to get his side 22 bonus runs to apply some icing on a feckless showing. There was little fight offered by the Daredevils in what was a crucial match for their prospects of advancing to the playoffs. And Rising Pune Supergiants have pulled a fast one on their fans and opponents with this comprehensive display after their IPL journey had ended this season. Now they will have to win their two remaining games or they will be sent packing.

0002 hrs | Match has been called off. Pune Supergiants win by 19 runs (D/L method)

Oh, you have to be kidding me. The rain again. And players are off. Yet again. Will spectators stay on through these constant interruptions just to see a foregone conclusion through to its drab end? Do we love cricket so much?

D/L par score is 57, so RPS are still in no danger of losing the game. Rahane saw to that with his pyrotechnics the previous over. But overs are going to be docked starting now.

RPS 76/1 after 11 overs (A Rahane 42 off 36 | G Bailey 8 off 18 || need 46 runs from 54 balls)

Oh. Now, Rahane isn't having any of this dilly-dallying. First, he flashes his blade to send a thick-edge careening to the Third-man boundary for four . And then, he knocks a sixer right over Long-on, looking like Krishna the Lord cowherd dancing on the serpent's head.

RPS 63/1 after 10 overs (A Rahane 30 off 31 | G Bailey 8 off 16 || need 59 runs from 60 balls)

Mishra is back on, to maybe get a breakthrough or two. Mishra slides one into Bailey's pads and goes up in appeal. But no cigar.

RPS 60/1 after 9 overs (A Rahane 28 off 27 | G Bailey 7 off 15 || need 62 runs from 66 balls)

Coulter-Nile comes back to finish his over.

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2329 hrs | And the snaking supersopper ropes are going off the field. And the players walk back on the ground to complete the game — a mere formality? — with no reduction of overs. Thank you for staying up with us. And here goes.

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Rahane ramps Coulter-Nile for four over the 'keeper's head first ball in a shot you'd never have thought the small man was cheeky enough to play. Aaaaannnd the rain has begun as forecast. And the players are walking off, dodging the pebble-sized droplets.

42 runs is the par score as per Duckworth Lewis. Pune, at 57/1 after 8.2 overs , needing 65 from 70 balls, are comfortably beyond that. Doesn't look good for DD now.

RPS 53/1 after 8 overs (A Rahane 16 off 18 | G Bailey 5 off 12 || need 69 runs from 72 balls)

Amit Mishra comes on, looking like a small-time wrestler looking to make a career shift into rap music. Nice menacing-looking handlebar moustache. Rahane doesn't care, though, as he pulls a straight delivery through Square-leg for four . 7 off the over.

RPS 46/1 after 7 overs (A Rahane 16 off 18 | G Bailey 5 off 12 || need 76 runs from 78 balls)

Coulter-Nile maintaining a nice line around off-stump. Whoa! That one rose like a golf ball hitting concrete and knocked Bailey's helmet right off. Surreal moment. Looked like a decapitation from the corner of the eye. But Bailey has his wits about him, as he nudges his fallen helm to ensure it doesn't roll back onto the stumps.

RPS 44/1 after 6 overs (A Rahane 15 off 16 | G Bailey 4 off 8 || need 78 runs from 84 balls)

Morris bowls a wild snorter that hurtles over Bailey's shoulders. And the Aussie is able to convert the free-hit for a powerful four through Mid-wicket. But Rahane's tap through Cover is just as sublime as Bailey's four was muscular.

RPS 33/1 after 5 overs (A Rahane 10 off 13 | G Bailey 0 off 4)

Rahane and Bailey are communicating really well, really shouting their calls. Great sign of running between the wickets? Well, they took just the one run for all that loud calling. In between, Zaheer had Rahane in a spot of bother almost dragging one on to his stumps.

RPS 32/1 after 4 overs (A Rahane 9 off 9 | G Bailey 0 off 2)

Chris Morris comes in now. And breaks the partnership. Can he do no wrong, this Saffer? With a slightly wide-ish full delivery, he has Khawaja (19 from 13) attempt a flourishing drive that gets sliced into Point's hands.

RPS 30/0 after 3 overs (A Rahane 8 off 8 | U Khawaja 19 off 10)

Now, Khawaja flicks Zaheer Khan fine behind square for four, then unleashes a loud drive through Cover for a second four and then finishes the over up with an exquisite straight boundary past the stumps at the non-striker's end. Pune isn't looking to hang around and chip away at this mammoth total.

RPS 16/0 after 2 overs (A Rahane 7 off 7 | U Khawaja 6 off 5)

After the excitement of last over, I don't really feel like watching RPS amble through to an empty win. But such is life.

But hey, Coulter-Nile begins with a wide, and then Khawaja pats it down into the Square-leg fence for four and then Rahane biffs it through Point for four . So, maybe the cricket needed that bit of fun to get kick-started.

RPS 4/0 after 1 over (A Rahane 1 off 3 | U Khawaja 1 off 3)

Ajinkya Rahane takes strike with Usman Khawaja as Zaheer Khan runs in to defend a paltry total. This sort of chase is tailormade for someone like Rahane, who likes to get settled and space his runs out. Zaheer is getting some movement here. A little too much. Sprays two wides. But then, squares Khawaja up with the fourth delivery. Hello, we have a streaker. Calm as you please, the streaker lounges around in the outfield. Rishabh Pant springs into action and helps with the chase. The streaker bares his teeth and bounds away. Pant gives up after a dogged chase, and the canine streaker pants and trots away after having his day in the sun.

What an over. Eventful.

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Well, well, well. Delhi Daredevils needed a 22-run final over to just hurl themselves over the 120-run mark. Chris Morris is powerful, as shows his 20-ball 38 amid the slew of below-100 strike-rates all around him. Ashoke Dinda was the pick of the seamers and began bleeding Delhi as early as the third over. And then Adam Zampa showed his class, bowling a brand of traditional-cum-intelligent leg-break that a musician might call Neo-Classical. In just 4 games this season, he is already Supergiants' highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps so far. And Delhi kept losing wickets, never allowing themselves to build any momentum or partnerships, save Karun Nair's sparkling innings of 41. Quite a dull innings and Morris' cameo was like an alarm-clock blaring you awake just as your eyelids droop into stupor.

Pune had nothing to lose going into this match, and they've bowled like it. Can they upset Delhi's fortunes?

DD 121/6 after 20 overs (N Coulter-Nile 2 off 3 | C Morris 38 off 20)

Perera to bowl the final over. Morris is using his carving knife really well here, stepping aside towards leg, and scything it over Extra Cover for four . And then a modest six is launched over Long-off. Then a lucky lucky scoop shot that goes through Short Fine-leg's hands for four and then a giant giant sixer to finish the innings. Well, well, well. What a final over.

Well, that's heartfelt but unfair. Morris was a savage in that over.

DD 99/6 after 19 overs (N Coulter-Nile 1 off 2 | C Morris 17 off 15)

Duminy (14 from 14) has second-guessed himself here. Hops out diagonally to the off-side and tries to scoop Dinda over Fine-leg, but finds only Fine-leg's hands. Pathan it was who caught it low. And Dinda is bowling with great attrition and hitting blockhole more often than Kohli hits tons. But Morris is able to slice one for four over Point. Handy boundary, this. You get the feeling every run will give Delhi a boost in confidence.

DD 91/5 after 18 overs (JP Duminy 12 off 12 | C Morris 12 off 13)

Ashwin begins with a loose one down leg-side which Morris helps on its way to the Fine-leg boundary for four . A couple wides and the pressure is released a bit more. 10 runs that over as the Run-Rate touches 5 after a long time.

DD 81/5 after 17 overs (JP Duminy 10 off 10 | C Morris 6 off 9)

Zampa is not letting up. Keeps varying his pace, length, airtime, line. Keeps the batsmen guessing. Delhi need big overs, not tiny 4-run overs.

DD 77/5 after 16 overs (JP Duminy 8 off 8 | C Morris 4 off 5)

What can Chris Morris pull tonight? Delhi sorely needs some impetus at this late stage to refuel their sterile innings and get at least 120. Ashwin bowls another quiet over for just 4 runs. Daredevils are going at 4.76 an over. 4.76. Well and truly clamped down on.

DD 73/5 after 15 overs (JP Duminy 6 off 5 | C Morris 2 off 2)

And Zampa has struck again. LBW. This time it's Nair (41 from 43), the only Daredevil who has showed some semblance of comfort in the middle so far today. A tough decision, it might have spun enough to miss off-stump. But great ball nonetheless. You bowl so many googlies so effectively, and you're bound to enhance the impact of a skidder or a conventional leg-break.

DD 68/4 after 14 overs (JP Duminy 5 off 4 | K Nair 39 off 40)

Irfan again relieves the pressure by letting a paddle sweep through his legs for four through Short Fine-leg. And Duminy gets going. And we have some breathing space as a Strategic Time-out is ordered.

DD 62/4 after 13 overs (JP Duminy 0 off 0 | K Nair 38 off 38)

Zampa continues. This pint-sized Warne facsimile is bowling some classical wrist spin here. And here we go, Rishabh Pant (4 from 9) can't read the googly and toes a slog drive straight into Long-off's hands.

DD 57/3 after 12 overs (R Pant 1 off 5 | K Nair 36 off 36)

And Ravi Ashwin is brought in, after Zampa's success. And what kind of a wicket is this that offers purchase to spinners and seamers alike? Ashwin's offies are turning a mile. Just 3 runs off it.

DD 54/3 after 11 overs (R Pant 0 off 1 | K Nair 34 off 34)

Irfan lets the pressure off a bit with another short ball that Nair is able to plow away down to the Square-leg fence. Other than that, Irfan recuperates with a full lengths and a good deal of swing.

DD 49/3 after 10 overs (R Pant 0 off 0 | K Nair 29 off 29)

And spin introduced here in the form of Adam Zampa. And five deliveries later, he delivers a real peach of a leg-break to draw Samson (10 from 13) out of his crease, bamboozle him into going for a defensive stroke, beat him all ends up and give Dhoni his 27th stumping in the IPL. Beautiful over from Zampa.

DD 42/2 after 9 overs (S Samson 9 off 11 | K Nair 23 off 25)

Nair gets in a boundary four through Square-leg this over to get the run-rate move out of snail's pace and into tortoise pace. 10 runs off it.

DD 32/2 after 8 overs (S Samson 4 off 7 | K Nair 18 off 23)

Perera gives very little away. A few balls are full and straight, a couple move back into the batsman, and just 2 runs. Very disciplined bowling display so far from Rising Pune Supergiants today.

DD 30/2 after 7 overs (S Samson 3 off 6 | K Nair 17 off 18)

Irfan Pathan replaces Ashwin as the man who bowls the first non-Powerplay over for Dhoni. Irfan gets swing but gets away with a lot of so-so lines with just 2 runs.

DD 28/2 after 6 overs (S Samson 2 off 3 | K Nair 16 off 15)

Thisara Perera to bowl the final over of the Powerplay. Persistently keeping full and straight. With good success. Just 3 runs off that over.

DD 25/2 after 5 overs (S Samson 0 off 0 | K Nair 15 off 12)

Now Nair hacks Dinda over Cover for four . And now he has flicked it off his pads for another four, this time through Square-leg. Nair is in great nick. Iyer (8 from 10), though, is not, and he has now top-edged a riser to hole out at Square-leg. He has squandered the chance he got today after a few matches out of the playing XI.

DD 15/1 after 4 overs (S Iyer 7 off 8 | K Nair 6 off 8)

Nair breaks free with a suave cover-drive for four . Chahar makes the same mistake a couple balls later, bowling too wide and full, and now Nair plays the same drive, except with some loft over the in-field. Good over, this, for DD. They didn't want to shrivel up after the early wicket.

DD 4/1 after 3 overs (S Iyer 2 off 5 | K Nair 0 off 5)

And Dinda has struck. De Kock (2 from 8) has looked dreadfully uncomfortable at the crease this far, and he misses an in-swinger that thuds into his front pad in front of middle-and-leg.

Karun Nair is an attacking, but plays out a wicket-maiden as Dinda continues bowling in a nagging McGrath-like fashion.

DD 4/0 after 2 overs (S Iyer 2 off 5 | Q de Kock 2 off 7)

Deepak Chahar, new bowler in for Pune, has troubled de Kock this over. With a nagging line across the left-hander, he gets it to cut away from his outside edge, and then gets it to climb on him from good length, and then gets banana swing back into de Kock. Great over.

DD 2/0 after 1 over (S Iyer 1 off 2 | Q de Kock 1 off 4)

Ashoke Dinda is off to another good start. He begins with a meagre 2-run over in which he stays between just-outside-off and middle stump line.

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Rising Pune Supergiants are in the odd situation of having victory not meaning anything anymore, given they are out of the playoffs race. They play today for pride. Delhi Daredevils would love a win here to go past Royal Challengers Bangalore, whom they are tied with on 12 points, if only to avoid a clash on Net Run-Rate...

Rising Pune Supergiants win the toss and opt to field first . Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants the bowlers to take up the responsibility. Odd decision this. Rain is forecast today at Vizag, and Dhoni's team has choked once too often for such a cavalier attitude at the toss.

Rising Pune Supergiants have made one change, as Deepak Chahar comes in for Murugan Ashwin...

AM Rahane, UT Khawaja, GJ Bailey, SS Tiwary, IK Pathan, MS Dhoni*†, NLTC Perera, R Ashwin, A Zampa, AB Dinda, DL Chahar

Three changes for Delhi Daredevils today, as Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mohammad Shami and Shreyas Iyer come back in...

SS Iyer, Q de Kock†, KK Nair, SV Samson, RR Pant, JP Duminy, CH Morris, NM Coulter-Nile, A Mishra, Z Khan*, Mohammed Shami

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Rising Pune Supergiants Squad

MS Dhoni*, Ankit Sharma, B Aparajith, M Ashwin, R Ashwin, GJ Bailey, AK Bains, R Bhatia, SM Boland, DL Chahar, AB Dinda, PSP Handscomb, Jaskaran Singh, UT Khawaja, JA Morkel, IC Pandey, IK Pathan, NLTC Perera, AM Rahane, I Sharma, RP Singh, SS Tiwary, A Zampa

Delhi Daredevils Squad

Z Khan*, MA Agarwal, KK Ahmed, SW Billings, CR Brathwaite, NM Coulter-Nile, Q de Kock, JP Duminy, AA Herwadkar, Imran Tahir, SS Iyer, MK Lomror, CV Milind, A Mishra, Mohammed Shami, CH Morris, S Nadeem, KK Nair, P Negi, RR Pant, Pratyush Singh, SV Samson, P Suyal, J Yadav