DC vs MI, IPL 2024: Capitals’ pace troika tames Mumbai Indians to register consecutive wins at home

Delhi Capitals’ pace battery, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar, picked wickets at a crucial stage to control the game, despite Mumbai Indians’ power hitters clearing boundaries frequently.

Eight of Mumbai Indians’ wickets were taken by Delhi Capitals’ bowlers, ensuring a 10-run win for the host side. | Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy / The Hindu

The trend of gargantuan totals – in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in general, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in particular – persisted. So did that of Delhi Capitals winning at home, for two consecutive games.

Riding on Jake Fraser-McGurk’s pyrotechnics up front and Tristan Stubbs’ strong finish, the Capitals posted 257 for four against Mumbai Indians.

Despite Mumbai’s power hitters clearing boundaries frequently, the Capitals’ pace troika of Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar picked wickets at a crucial stage to control the game.

AS IT HAPPENED: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians Highlights

As a result, despite the visiting team finishing just 10 runs behind the total, the game never slipped out of the Capitals’ grasp.

With Prithvi Shaw failing a fitness test just before the toss, Fraser-McGurk found a new opening partner in Abishek Porel. The Australian pounced on Mumbai’s bowling to tonk 89 off the five overs, 78 of which came off his bat.

His boundary-hitting ability was on full display – even against Jasprit Bumrah – as 80 of his 84 runs came off boundaries. The best of his 17 boundaries was his swing over long-on off a slower one to welcome Bumrah into the attack.

Delhi Capitals’ Jake Fraser McGurk in action against Mumbai Indians. at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. | Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy / The Hindu

With Bumrah being unable to strike up front, a toothless Mumbai attack struggled to pull the Capitals back in the middle overs. Stubbs then took on Luke Wood and Nuwan Thushara – two IPL rookies – to help the Capitals cross the 250-run mark.

The fancied MI top-order had no option to up the ante from the beginning.

Once the Capitals picked the top three in the PowerPlay, MI was always playing catch-up. Khaleel struck twice to get the big fish Rohit Sharma (top-edged to mid-off) and Suryakumar Yadav (jabbed to covers) while Mukesh’s change of pace resulted in forcing Ishan Kishan into an error.

Captain Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma and Tim David then played robust innings but had too much to catch up after the initial damage. Rasikh’s variation in pace also worked wonderfully for the Capitals to close the game out.