New Delhi: Rising Pune Supergiant failed to confirm their progression into the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 season after Delhi Daredevils inflicted a 7-run defeat at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Friday. It wasn't the result RPS were looking forward to, but one of their stars, MS Dhoni, acheieved a big milestone on the occasion. (IPL 2017 - Points Table | Full Coverage)
Dhoni's catch to dismiss Shreyas Iyer off Jaydev Unadkat's bowling on the first ball of the third over helped the former Chennai Super Kings skipper reach 100 dismissals in IPL history, becoming the second wicket-keeper after Gujarat Lions' Dinesh Karthik to reach the milestone.
The game against the Daredevils was his 156th, and Dhoni has so far claimed 71 catches and 29 stumpings in his career in the franchise tournament.
Placed at third in the standings after eight wins from 13 games, Pune will now need to win their final league game against fifth-placed Kings XI Punjab to qualify for the play-offs. Delhi, despite their two back to back wins, are placed sixth and out of the race to the play-offs.
Pune, who came into the match winning seven out of their last eight matches, could only reach 161 for seven in reply to Delhi Daredevils' 168 for eight after the hosts surprisingly decided to bat first at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
Chasing 169, Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary raised the hopes of the visitors with a 45-ball 60, laced with five boundaries and three sixes before finding themselves seven runs short in the end.
Pune were left to score 77 runs off the last 48 balls with Ben Stokes and Tiwary in the middle. It did not turn out to be a straightforward chase despite Delhi's sloppiness on the field. Tiwary was dropped twice but still was not able to take his side home.
With 25 required off the final over, Tiwary slammed Pat Cummins for two consecutive sixes to bring up his half century before the Australian came back strongly to dismiss the Bengal right-hander in the final ball.
(With inputs from Agencies)
