Mumbai reigns supreme as the bowlers have a field day at the Wankhede. Mumbai Indians registered their 6th successive win of IPL 2017 as they successfully defended a low score of 142 against Delhi Daredevils. Put into bat, Mumbai managed just 142 as Delhi put up a disciplined show with the ball at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a low total, Delhi lost 6 wickets at 24 runs and fell 14 short of the target despite a good partnership between Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris.
After 5 successful chases, Mumbai Indians were challenged by Zaheer Khan to come out to bat and defend the total. Mumbai got off to a good start as Jos Butler carried on from where he left in the match against Kings XI Punjab. The edges flew for boundaries as the bat speed went up with each passing delivery.
The length ball by Rabada, making his IPL debut was clubbed towards mid-on for a six. But Rabada came back strongly and bowled a dream yorker under the bat of Parthiv Patel, on the popping crease and leg stump went flying.
Butler’s juggernaut came to an unfortunate halt as a brilliant direct hit from Sanju Samson found him short of his crease. The in form batsman, Nitish Rana hit Pat Cummins delivery straight into the hands of fielder at square leg boundary. Amit Mishra looked in great touch as he got the dangerous Rohit Sharma caught at square leg.
Both these dismissals were a result of disciplined bowling as well as accurate field positioning from Delhi captain, Zaheer Khan. He has been instrumental throughout this season in ensuring the right field placements which has brought rich dividends to their bowlers.
Mishra also got the wicket of Krunal Pandya with a wrong one that he nicked into the gloves of wicketkeeper. Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya took Mumbai to a respectable total of 142 though both of them were unable to freely hit the bowlers.
With under 150 to chase and the in form batting line-up, Daredevils thought that they would have this one easily. But Mumbai Indians had other things in mind (After all, Dilliwale Mumbai ae hain). Aditya Tare, the Mumbai Ranji team Captain got run out on a duck owing to Hardik Pandya’s one handed throw from a one stump angle. No wonder they have Jonty Rhodes as their fielding coach.
Sanju Samson played two textbook shots for boundaries on either side of wicket but he too departed with a soft dismissal. McClenaghan got another one in his next over as Shreyas Iyer edged a short delivery down the leg side. In the same over, Corey Anderson couldn’t present bat to a nipping one from McClenaghan as it hit the back pad and umpire had no second thoughts.
Mitchell Johnson, playing his first IPL game of this season and coming off a good stint at Big Bash League bowled quick and accurate. Delhi’s misery continued as Rishabh Pant edged a delivery by Jasprit Bumrah, angled across him to the slips. Karun Nair also departed early as he edged a regular length delivery by Hardik Pandya on the off side onto his stumps.
With only 24 on board and 6 wickets down, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris put up a 91 run partnership that brought Delhi closer to the total. Both of them kept the things going with singles and twos as the required run rate kept climbing.
Rabada and Morris did hit few boundaries but they were hard to come by as Mumbai bowlers maintained a good line and length. Harbhajan Singh bowled some economical overs to put the pressureon the South African all rounders. With 42 required off the last 3 overs, the equation was pretty much similar to the match earlier in the day. But the Rising Pune Supergiants had a certain MSD, the best finisher in the world (Anhoni ko ker de honi, Mahendra Singh Dhoni).
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18th over was bowled by McClenaghan and Morris managed to hit a six and a boundary off it. McClenaghan finished with brilliant figures of 3 for 24 off 4 overs. But Jasprit Bumrah calmed the nerves in the next over as he gave away just 5 runs and cleaned up Rabada with an excellent yorker.
Hardik Pandya ensured that there was no twist in the tale in the last over and Mumbai restricted Delhi to 128. Chris Morris was the only batsman to score a half century in this match.
With this win, Mumbai Indians are sitting pretty at the top with 12 points. Delhi Daredevils are now placed at 5th position with only two wins in 6 matches. Their inexperience in batting was exposed as they couldn’t stand upto a quality bowling attack to chase down a low total.
