The explosive Virender Sehwag (34-ball 75; 8x4, 5x6) powered Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals in Match 6 of the IPL 2010 at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Monday.

Sehwag entertained the large crowd with a blistering knock as Delhi Daredevils chased down the modest target of 142, set by Rajasthan Royal, in 17.1 overs. This was Delhi Daredevils? second successive win. Rajasthan Royals, IPL Champions in 2008, on the other hand suffered their second consecutive loss.

Sehwag?s blitzkrieg ended when South African skipper and Rajasthan Royals opener - Graeme Smith took a stunning catch at mid-on off Munaf Patel. Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne sent back South African batsman AB de Villiers, caught nicely by substitute Fazal but that did not stop the Delhi Daredevils, who cruised home comfortably. Dinesh Karthik remained unbeaten with 26.

Earlier, England medium-pacer ED Mascarenhas? double strike in the fourth over when he dismissed Delhi Daredevils? skipper Gautam Gamhir (9) and TM Dilshan (0) raised hopes for Rajasthan Royals. Mascarenhas could have had Sehwag when the batsman was on 41 but Shaun Tait failed to hold a swirling skier at short fine leg. Sehwag capitalised on the costly lapse as the Indian opener smashed left-arm seamer A Uniyal for a 6, 4, 6 in the next over. Sehwag reached his 50 in 21 balls.

Gambhir?s decision was justified as Delhi Daredevils were on top by the end of the ninth over as Rajasthan Royals nosedived to 50 for four. Diminutive opener Swapnil Asnodkar and South African captain Graeme Smith started on right earnest before the former was snapped by Dilshan off left-arm seamer Dirk Nannes. Naman Ojha was the batsman in a hurry. He struck four fours and one six in his 14-ball 24. But leg-spinner Amit Mishra bowled Ojha with a beautiful googly.

Huge roar for Pathan

Yusuf Pathan, who scored the fastest century in the three year nascence of the IPL, the other day against the Mumbai Indians, was greeted with a huge roar when he walked in with the fall of Naman Ojha?s wicket. But he failed to create the Mumbai magic. He lasted only five balls much to the disappointment of the huge crowd. His huge heave to a slower delivery from Farveez Maharoof landed in AB de Villiers? safe hands at deep mid-on. It was a big wicket and Rajasthan Royals? misery continued after being put in by Gambhir.

When Graeme Smith, too, departed, the writing was on the wall for the Rajasthan Royals?. The left-hander pulled left-arm seam bowler Pradeep Sangwan, which went straight to Sehwag who pocketed the catch but not before a little juggling act when he pouched the ball in the third attempt.

Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (45-ball 53 not out), the hard-hitting batsman, and Paras Dogra (29, 26 balls) kept the Delhi Daredevils attack at bay with a 60-run stand. The sixth wicket pair batted sensibly and looked good but Dogra was run out against the run of play. Five runs later Dimitri Mascarenhas was the second run out victim. But it was Jhunjhunwala?s well paced innings ? dotted with a half century that gave some respectability to Rajasthan Royals? total. Where the Rajasthan Royals? go from here is anybody?s guess ? especially since these are yet early days in IPL 2010.