Virender Sehwag, on way to his 80, on Saturday

Kochi: Virender Sehwag hit a rollicking half-century as Delhi DareDevils scored a 38-run win over Kochi Tuskers Kerala to keep its play-offs hopes alive on Saturday.

Sehwag blazed his way to a 47-ball 80 to lead his side to a competitive 157 for 7 after electing to bat on a track that showed uneven bounce.

Delhi were gasping at 37 for 3 at one stage, but Sehwag played sensibly as he first guarded his wicket when his teammates were vanishing from the other end and then played his usual aggressive shots.

The visitors then bowled out the hosts for 119 in 18.5 overs to record a much-needed win as they were languishing at the bottom of the points table.

It was Delhi’s third win in eight matches, while Kochi, now, have suffered their third defeat in a row.

With this win, Delhi have jumped to seventh spot from 10th, while Kochi are now second from last.

Batting was a big challenge on the Nehru stadium wicket for both the sides as some balls kept low while some reared up alarmingly.

The Delhi pace trio of Morne Morkel (3/18), Ajit Agarkar (2/23) and Irfan Pathan (2/27) shared seven wickets among them and played a crucial role in scripting their side’s win.

Proteas’ spinner Roelof van der Merwe (3/20) ran through the Kochi tail, taking three wickets in five balls in the 19th over, to contribute in the 38-run victory.

Ravindra Jadeja (31) and Brad Hodge (27) were the only batsmen who went past the 25-run mark for Kochi.

The hosts needed 59 runs off the last four overs and Jadeja kept their hopes alive by smashing Van der Merwe for a six, scoring 10 runs from the 17th over.

Vinay Kumar (11) hammered Agarkar for a six in the next over but the former India pacer did a big favour to his side by getting dangerman Jadeja out in the last ball of that over.

Kochi still needed 40 from 12 balls but van der Merwe took all three remaining wickets -- Ramesh Powar (0) Sreesanth (0) and Vinay -- in space of five balls to seal the fate of the hosts.

Earlier, Sehwag played a true captain’s knock as it came on a very difficult track and under difficult circumstances.

Yogesh Nagar (22) and Travis Birt (20) also supported Sehwag well as they shared 56 and 41 run stands with their skipper for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively.

Sehwag got out in the 18th over when he attempted a big shot off Vinay Kumar, but not before hitting eight fours and five sixes. Seamer S. Sreesnath was most successful bowler for the hosts as he gave away just 10 runs in his four overs and scalped two wickets.

It was a horror start for Delhi after electing to bat as Sreesanth bowled David Warner (3) and trapped Naman Ojha (0) in his first over, second of the innings. (PTI)