Adam Gilchrist has proved it once again that he is a  big match player as his power-packed knock crushed Delhi Daredevils in an IPL semi-final on Friday (May 22). Gilly's blistering innings of 85 runs from 35 balls helped Deccan Chargers to win the first semi-final by six wickets. Chasing a victory target of 154 runs, the Chargers achieved the runs in 17.4 overs.

 

Gilchrist smashed 10 fours and 5 sixes in his fiery innings. He also scored the fastest IPL fifty off just 17 balls. The former Australian wicket-keeper batsman was in attacking mood from the very first delivery of Chargers' innings. He smashed fast bowler Dirk Nannes for five consecutive fours in the very first over. He was almost unstoppable and every bowler of Daredevils got the same treatment. Even Virender Sehwag got some of his own medicine as Gilly scored 25 runs from his solitary over.

 

Earlier put in to bat first Delhi Daredevils got off to disastrous start by losing both the openers, Gautam Gambhir and David Warner, in the first over when the scoreboard read 0-2. However, captain Virender Sehwag and Tillkaratne Dilshan recovered the early damages and helped Daredevils to reach the score of 153 runs in 20 overs. Dilshan made 65 from 51 deliveries while Sehwag hit 35 off 31. Apart from them, AB de Villiers (26 off 21) also made some useful contributions.

 

When Adam Gilchrist was batting, the target of 154 runs seemed too small. Daredevils got the much-needed relief when Amit Mishra (3-19) dismissed dangerous Gilchrist just before the strategic time-out. By then it was too late for Daredevils to come back in the match. After Gilly's departure, Andrew Symonds along with Tirumalsetti Suman took Chargers closer to the victory target. Symonds scored 24 off 15 balls while Suman (24) remained not out to seal the victory for the chargers.

 

With this win, Deccan Chargers entered the final of IPL and will now play against the winner of today's semi-final. Adam Gilchrist was declared the man of the match. Apart from this, he also won a special prize for hitting maximum number of sixes in the match. The final of IPL will be played at Johannesburg on Sunday (May 24).