Delhi Warriors continued their dominant start to the World Legends Pro T20 League with a commanding 59-run victory over Pune Panthers at the 1919 Sportz Stadium, Goa, on Tuesday. Batting first, Delhi posted a massive 218/3, the highest total of the season so far, and followed it up with a disciplined bowling effort to register their second consecutive win.
After being put in to bat, Delhi got off to a blistering start courtesy of openers Chadwick Walton and Sreevats Goswami, who once again showcased their chemistry with a fluent 100-plus opening stand. Scoring at over 11 runs per over, the duo set the tone early and put the Pune bowlers under immediate pressure.
Walton was the standout performer yet again, smashing a confident 62 off 32 balls to move to the top of the tournament’s run charts with 190 runs in two matches, earning the Orange Cap. Goswami complemented him perfectly with a brisk 51 off 33 balls. Although the scoring rate dipped briefly during the middle overs, Irfan Pathan and Gurkeerat Singh Mann provided the late surge with rapid 40-plus contributions, propelling Delhi to a daunting 218.
In reply, Pune Panthers’ chase never truly settled. Openers Shane Watson and Martin Guptill were dismissed early, falling prey to the guile of Shahbaz Nadeem, who struck crucial blows in the powerplay. A counter-attacking 89-run partnership between Upul Tharanga and Saimullah Shinwari revived Pune’s hopes, but Delhi skipper Harbhajan Singh broke the stand by removing Tharanga.
Nadeem then delivered the decisive moment by dismissing the dangerous Shinwari, who had struck 52 off 28 balls, effectively ending Pune’s resistance. Nadeem finished with an impressive 3/25, as Delhi’s bowlers maintained control to seal a comprehensive win.
Earlier in the day, fans were treated to another thriller as Dubai Royals edged Gurugram Thunders by three runs in a last-over finish. Samit Patel’s unbeaten 65 powered Dubai to 200, while Piyush Chawla held his nerve at the death to deny Cheteshwar Pujara, who agonisingly fell one run short of a century.
With back-to-back wins, Delhi Warriors have firmly announced themselves as early title contenders in the tournament.
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