IPL 2018: Gautam Gambhir out, Delhi post their best opening stand of the season

AFP

After Gautam Gambhir was dropped from the Playing XI against Kolkata at the Ferozshah Kotla on Friday, the Delhi openers added 59 runs to record the team's highest opening stand in IPL 2018. 

Against the backdrop of Gambhir's decision to leave the DD captaincy earlier this week and Shreyas Iyer stepping into the breach, Colin Munro and Prithvi Shaw batted with great conviction and flair to get the team off to a flier. 

12 (against KXIP), 0 (against RR), 50 (against MI), 4 (against KKR), 7 (against RCB) and 25 (against KXIP) were Delhi's opening returns in their previous six matches. The partnership ended off the last ball of the seventh over when Kiwi Munro, only player in world cricket to score three T20I tons, was cleaned up by fast bowler Shivam Mavi against the run of play. 

Munro departed for 33 and hit four fours and two sixes during his 18-ball stay. Shaw contributed a 24-ball 26 in the stand and was looking good for a big innings. 

Earlier, KKR captain Dinesh Karthik won the toss and decided to bowl. Delhi made two changes for the game: Gambhir and Daniel Christian went out as Vijay Shankar and Munro came in. KKR made just once change bringing in Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson in place of Tom Curran.