By IANS,
Bangalore : Gautam Gambhir, with his 39 in Delhi Daredevils’ five-wicket win over Bangalore Royal Challengers Monday night, became the first player in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to score more than 500 runs.
Gambhir has scored 504 at an average of 45.81 in 12 matches. Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag is second in the list with 385 runs at an average of 38.50. Shikhar Dhawan became the third batsman from Delhi Daredevils to amass 300 runs or more in the competition.
Gautam knock of 39 off 31 balls included six fours, and thus he became the first batsman to aggregate 302 runs in boundaries (65 fours and 7 sixes) in the IPL, eclipsing Sanath Jayasuriya’s aggregate of 288 through boundaries – 42 fours and 20 sixes. Sehwag also has equalled Sanath Jayasuriya’s feat of 20 sixes in the competition.
Royal Challengers’ 19-year-old debutant Shreevats Goswami, who scored 52 off 42 balls, became the youngest batsman to post a fifty in the IPL. The previous record was held by Rohit Sharma, who had registered a fifty at 20 years 358 days – 66 off 36 balls against Delhi at Hyderabad, April 22.
The following are the other statistical highlights of the day:
Bangalore Royal Challengers became the second team after Deccan Chargers to lose 9 games in the IPL.
Bangalore Royal Challengers have now lost five games in succession between May 5 and May 10 – the first team to achieve the dubious distinction.
Bangalore Royal Challengers is the only team not to have recorded a stand of even 40 for the first wicket in the IPL.
Delhi is the only team in the IPL with only one opening pair throughout the competition. In 12 innings, the Gambhir-Sehwag pair has aggregated 499 at an average of 41.58 with one century stand and three fifty-plus.
Jacques Kallis has averaged 18.11 in 9 games, making only 163 runs, including one fifty.
Chipli has averaged 6.66 in 3 games, making 20 runs.
Misbah-ul-Haq (47 not out off 25 balls) posted his highest in the IPL. His average in the competition has improved slightly – 19.75 after 5 matches (79 runs).
Sangwan (3-0-51-0) became the first bowler in the IPL to concede 50 runs in only three overs.
Glenn McGrath, with 12 wickets at 23.33 runs apiece is the leading wicket-taker for Delhi Daredevils. He is followed by Maharoof (11) and Mahesh (10).
Anil Kumble (2/18) produced his best bowling performance in the IPL.
Dinesh Karthik has averaged 15.80 – 79 runs in 11 matches.
Zaheer Khan has failed to claim a single wicket in his last three games.