New Delhi Daredevils captain Shreyas Iyer credited the entire team for an emphatic 55-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
After being put in to bat by KKR, Delhi posted the highest total of the season so far – 219/4 – and then restricted the visitors to 164/9 in their run-chase. The Daredevils thereby ended their three-match losing streak.
Delhi made the perfect start as their new opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and Colin Munro added 59 runs for the first wicket. Captain Iyer then joined the Shaw to add a further 68 runs in just seven overs.
After Shaw was dismissed, Iyer carried on and batted till the end, hitting three fours and 10 sixes, and finishing unbeaten on 93 from 40 balls. Delhi scored 79 runs in the final five overs, including 29 off the last six balls bowled by young Shivam Mavi.
Iyer, who took over as Delhi captain from Gautam Gambhir for the remainder of the season, said he was overjoyed to start with a win. “It’s obviously a great feeling to end up on the winning side, especially when you’re leading for the first time,” he said in the post-match presentation. “All of us contributed for this victory, it’s not only me, so kudos to everyone.”
The 23-year-old also said he was pleased to lose the toss since he was also going to bowl first had he won. “Luckily they won the toss and that gave a bit of freedom to the batsmen to go and express themselves.”
Iyer also praised the 18-year-old Shaw, who scored his first IPL half-century – 62 off 44 balls – in just his second match. “Shaw has been batting well since the start of the season, even in the practice matches,” Iyer said. “Colin Munro, too, along with him gave us a fifty-run [opening] partnership.”
Despite leading the team for the first time, Iyer said he wasn’t under any pressure. “Coming into the IPL, I had led a few teams [in the domestic circuit]. The feeling was obviously amazing – leading the Delhi Daredevils for the first time,” he said.