12 October,2009 09:34 AM IST | | A Correspondent
It was a different Virender Sehwag yesterday. No, it isn't that his footwork had suddenly improved or he wasn't at his ferocious best like always. It was a lot calmer and patient Sehwag at display.
The former Delhi Daredevils skipper's 66 off 42 balls showed that Twenty20 is not just about slam-bang. There is enough room for intelligent cricket. Sehwag fired when it was required (in the first five overs) and worked his way in singles and twos when the field was spread against Wayamba Elevens in the Champions League T20 match at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.u00a0
"It was a difficult wicket as the ball wasn't coming on to bat nicely. I had to be careful while playing my shots. I waited for the loose balls and paced my innings accordingly because one of us had to stay till the end to put up a good score. And I think we managed to do it," said Sehwag.
The score of 170 seemed too huge a task for Wayamba, who could score only 120-7 in 20 overs. Glenn McGrath (2-20) and Dirk Nannes (4-24) were the standout bowlers for Delhi Daredevils, who won by 50 runs to score two crucial points to stay in the hunt for a berth in the quarter-final.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir too acknowledged Sehwag's comeback to form after a shoulder injury had kept him out from the ICC World Twenty20 Cup and ICC Champions Trophy.
"It was a very important knock for us, especially because we wanted to stay in the competition. He is a great asset for any team. It doesn't matter what kind of a track Sehwag is batting on. He is an impact player. He sets the pace of the game," said Gambhir.
