Super Stokes can't save Pune against Delhi

The result: Delhi Daredevils 8-168 (Nair 64, Unadkat 2-29) beat Rising Pune Supergiant 7-161 (Tiwary 60, Zaheer 2-25) by seven runs

The match in a tweet: Supergiant slayed! Delhi make Pune sweat for finals spot with stirring all-round victory despite some Stokes magic

The young Indian guns: This tournament is increasingly showcasing the next generation of Indian batting talent, and it's a delight to watch. After falling to 2-11, Delhi looked set for a long night, but Karun Nair and Rishabh Pant swung the momentum dramatically, stroking nine boundaries in 18 balls to put their team on track for a match-winning total. Nair, a triple-centurion in Test cricket already, top-scored with 64 (his highest score in any format since that remarkable knock against England) while Pant continued his fine form with a brisk 36.

The turnaround: Pune had the win there for the taking and a finals spot all but assured when they required 91 from the final 10 overs, with seven wickets in hand and Stokes and top-scorer Manoj Tiwary at the crease. But Delhi's strike force were outstanding in closing out the contest, taking wickets at key intervals and restricting the scoring with some disciplined bowling. By the time the final over arrived, they were seven down and needing 25 to win, and despite a pair of sixes from the outstanding Tiwary (60), Cummins held his nerve to finish off the match and keep his team's finals hopes alive.

The all-rounder superstar: Ben Stokes is continuing to stamp himself as a genuine superstar in every format and in every discipline of the game. The Englishman pulled off a direct-hit run-out in the first over of the match, took 2-31 with the ball including a searing 143kph yorker to castle soon-to-be Ashes rival Pat Cummins, pulled off a ridiculous acrobatic-juggle catch on the rope, then slammed 33 from 25 to keep his side in the contest. Sure, the 25-year-old's auction price was insane ... but at the moment so is his cricket. 

The old boys hit milestones: Zaheer Khan got Ajinkya Rahane with a peach of an inswinger from the first ball of the Pune innings to throw the proverbial cat among the pigeons and also bring up his 100th IPL wicket. At 38, the swing king is the oldest of the 10 players to reach that milestone. MS Dhoni meanwhile, enjoyed a night out with the gloves, pulling off a typically sharp stumping and taking two catches to claim the record for the most in the IPL - he now has 124, one more than Kumar Sangakkara. 

The Aussie Pack: Smith came in to face Zaheer and a swinging ball and promptly showed his class with a couple of stylish boundaries. The Aussie and Pune captain looked in irresistible touch but ultimately was undone by one that kept low, falling for 38. Pat Cummins had a mixed night but came out on top for Delhi with the final wicket from the final ball (a clever slower delivery), while Dan Christian (1-18 off two, and three with the bat) had an ordinary night and Adam Zampa took a solid 1-29 in his first match in a month.

The wash-up: Delhi can't make the finals but they did a few teams a favour by toppling Pune, who next face Kings XI Punjab on Sunday in a final-round clash that looks set to decide who heads through to the finals. The Daredevils face RCB in their final match and could feasibly finish just one win out of finals calculations after an up-and-down season.