New Delhi:
Rishabh Pant’s ballistic knock off 78 runs powered Delhi Capitals total over 200, giving Mumbai Indians a mammoth target of 214 which was out of men-in-blue’s reach in more ways than one. In the end, it was the Capitals, who managed to come out trumps by 38 runs courtesy of a resounding all-round show at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Moreover, Shreyas Iyer and Co also moved to the top of the points table.
After Mumbai Indians won the toss and fielded first, very few things went right for them as the visiting team amassed 213 for six in 20 overs. Mitchell McClenaghan nipped out Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer cheaply to give his team a decent start. However, Colin Ingram and swashbuckler Shikhar Dhawan put their heads down and injected momentum into the innings with a stand of 83 runs.
Ben Cutting broke the stand, dismissing Ingram, who scored 47 runs with seven boundaries and a six. A couple of overs later, Dhawan fell prey to Hardik Pandya after notching 43 runs from 36 balls. Thereafter, Rishabh Pant took over and raced away to a fifty off 18 balls. The southpaw went hell for leather and remained not out on 78 runs from 27 balls with seven fours and as many sixes.
Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock put on 33 in quick time to start the home team’s run-chase. Ishant Sharma’s knuckleball accounted for the wicket of Sharma. Suryakumar Yadav perished courtesy of a direct-hit from Shreyas Iyer. De Kock paved his way to a 16-ball 27 after which Sharma removed him. Thereafter, Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard tried to pull things back for MI.
The duo compiled a half-century stand to keep the hosts in the match. Keemo Paul picked up the prized scalp of Pollard to break the partnership. Rohit’s men kept losing wickets and the required-rate kept mounting. The southpaw Yuvraj Singh tried his heart out with a 35-ball 53, but that wasn’t enough to get his team home. For Delhi, Ishant and Rabada were the most successful with two wickets each.
