May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

BANGALORE, May 19: Shreevats Goswami celebrated his birthday a day late with an impressive knock on his Indian Premier League debut here on Monday.

The diminutive left-hander, who was part of the India under-19 squad that won the World Cup not too long ago, struck a 42-ball 52 as Bangalore scored 154-7 against Delhi at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Goswami became the youngest to score a fifty in the tournament, striking one six and seven fours during his cameo, which helped build a good base.

But with Misbah-ul-Haq the only other batsman able to clobber the ball around, Bangalore could not get a formidable score on board.

Misbah produced a quick-fire 47 off 25 balls with four sixes and two fours. The Pakistan batsman boosted the total towards the end, striking 24 in the last over bowled by Rajat Bhatia, which went for three sixes.

Earlier, India under-19 seamer Pradeep Sangwan let down Virender Sehwag after the skipper elected to field. Glenn McGrath started the match with a miserly over in which the only run he conceded was an overthrow, but Sangwan sprayed the ball over to give away the initiative. The left-armer conceded 19 runs with the new ball and 18 when he was brought back during the mid innings and eventually went for 51 off three.

Bangalore, languishing at the bottom of the table, left out Virat Kohli, opener J. Arunkumar and Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzaq while Goswami, India’s under-19 wicket-keeper, was included in place of the indisposed Mark Boucher. Dale Steyn, Bharat Chipli and Balachandra Akhil were also drafted in.

Delhi made two changes, bringing in A.B. de Villiers

and Yo Mahesh in place of Shoaib Malik and Amit Mishra.—Agencies