IPL 2019, KKR vs DC: Dhawan, Pant keep cool as Delhi overcome Russell challenge

Shikhar Dhawan found form with a 63-ball 97 and powered Delhi Capitals to a seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL here Friday, leaving two legends at the visiting dugout beaming.

Chasing 179, Colin Ingram launched one down the ground to finish the game in style and deny Dhawan what would have been his maiden hundred in this format.

Rishabh Pant (46 off 31 balls) played a perfect second fiddle to Dhawan, curbing his rash shots and showed immense maturity in a 105-run partnership from 69 balls, which virtually killed the contest.

Prithvi Shaw (14) gave Delhi an explosive start, hammering two sixes off New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, but he could not make it big while skipper Shreyas Iyer departed inside the powerplay.

Earlier, Andre Russell blazed away to a 21-ball 45 after Shubman Gill's brisk half-century, powering Kolkata Knight Riders to a challenging total.

This was Russell's sixth successive 40-plus score, his four sixes and three boundaries coming after youngster Gill stroked 65 off 39 balls, helping the hosts recover from Ishant Sharma's wicket-maiden first over.

Chris Morris removed Russell in the penultimate over when he was caught in the deep by Rabada.

Sent into bat, from batting at No. 6 in their last match against Chennai Super Kings, Gill was promoted to open the innings and the 19-year-old responded with a fine knock, his second IPL fifty, and first this season.

Ishant knocked out the off-stump of Joe Denly with a fantastic inswinger, the Englishman lasting just one ball on his IPL debut.

But KKR did well to bring themselves out of the rut with Uthappa and Gill counter-attacking with a flurry of boundaries.