IPL 2018: Rishabh Pant puts on a batting masterclass as Delhi overcome embarrassing Powerplay start

Delhi's Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer put on a batting masterclass and overcame the worst batting Powerplay performance by any team in IPL 2018 on Saturday.

Pant joined Iyer in the sixth over after Bangalore's Yuzvendra Chahal removed Jason Roy to leave Delhi struggling at 23/2 in 5.4 overs. The visitors at the Chinnaswamy Stadium finished the Powerplay overs on 28/2, this season's worst performance in the first six overs. 

Gautam Gambhir and Roy had a miserable outing on what turned out a very slow wicket in Bangalore. But both Pant and Iyer played like champions and helped Delhi to reach a competitive total of 174/5.

Both added 75 runs off 49 balls to bail Delhi out of an embarrassing position. Iyer scored his 50 off 29 balls -- first this season and seventh overall -- and hit four fours and three sixes in the process. 

After Iyer got out for 52, Pant took total control of the Delhi innings and soon reached his fifty in 34 balls -- first this season and fourth overall. The 20-year-old went berserk after that in the death overs. Delhi scored 71 runs in the last five overs and 50 of those came off Pant's bat. He and Rahul Tewatia added 65 off just 25 balls.

Pant eventually got out off the fourth ball of the last over for 85 off 48 balls. He hit six fours and seven sixes.  

The way Delhi had started their innings, one could safely say the duo of Pant and Iyer spared them the blushes big time. 

Talking about Delhi's Powerplay performance, Chris Woakes, who bowled the first over of the match for RCB, conceded just six runs. Umesh Yadav and Chahal bowled three and two overs respectively. Fast bowler Umesh conceded just 13 runs in those overs and accounted for Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir whose miscued pull shot found Chahal. Gambhir scoffed 10 balls for his three runs. 

After Gambhir's departure, legspinner Chahal made  Roy's life miserable. Roy, who scored 91 not out off 56 balls in Delhi's win against Mumbai earlier in the season, appeared totally at sea against the wily Chahal. His embarrassing show of 5 off 16 balls came to an end when Chahal cleaned him up in last over of the Powerplay.