Dancing and swearing in the aisles
Plenty of action in Kotla's first game of the season
This was Delhi Daredevils' first home game this season. Delhi had only two wins in five games. I was expecting Kevin Pietersen to be back in full flow, but that didn't happen.
Nobody really expected Karun Nair to play such a composed innings for Rajasthan Royals. He had low scores in the UAE leg of the tournament and there was chatter in the stands about Nair being preferred over Delhi boy Unmukt Chand, who played for Daredevils last season. But Nair played a composed innings and showed that Rajasthan have the knack of bringing out the best in their new talent. He could just be their trump card this season.
I would have wished for JP Duminy to play faster. He slowed down the momentum in the middle overs and could not really accelerate in the end.
Pietersen was run out by Sanju Samson in seventh over and even though Rajasthan were confident in their appeal, the umpire, Sanjay Hazare, did not refer it to the third umpire, leading Shane Watson to argue heatedly over his decision. It was more heated in the stands, with abuses being hurled at the umpire.
Kedar Jadhav hit Kane Richardson for a six over his head off the penultimate ball of Delhi's innings. It was hit so cleanly that the moment the ball left the bat there was no doubt as to where it was headed.
It was a fantastic experience for my wife and I. We arrived two hours early for the match but didn't feel bored for one moment. Live music, some hot food and quality cricket made our day. We hope to come again to Kotla, sooner than later.
Want to do a Fan Following report? Read our FAQ here