Delhi Capitals (DC) crashed out of the tournament after a five-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in its last Indian Premier League (IPL) group stage encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

DC’s loss allowed Royal Challengers Bangalore (16 points) to grab a playoffs spot. As MI moved closer to victory, the crowd replaced its ‘Mumbai’ chants with ‘RCB, RCB’.

Set a target of 160, MI started poorly and stuttered to 27 for one at the end of the PowerPlay. The home team only got going in the 10th over, bowled by Kuldeep Yadav, when Ishan Kishan (48, 35b, 3x4, 4x6) and Dewald Brevis (37, 33b, 1x4, 3x6) let loose.

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Tilak Varma (21, 17b, 1x4, 1x6 ) and Tim David (34, 11b, 2x4, 4x6) then got together to step on the gas. David, in particular, was brutal in his approach. Going at a strike rate of over 300, he was instrumental in pulling the asking rate down. By the time Shardul Thakur took David out, MI was within touching distance of victory.

DC captain Rishabh Pant blundered when he decided not to review a nick behind in the very first ball that David faced. Pant arrived at the decision despite having two reviews available at his disposal. David’s explosive second life meant that this blunder could have well cost DC a playoffs spot.

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Earlier, a fine bowling performance helped MI restrict DC to a manageable total. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the most effective, taking three crucial wickets. He struck in the fourth over, inducing an edge from Mitchell Marsh. The Australian, who made fifties in his previous two outings, was taken out for a golden duck.

Prithvi Shaw (24, 23b, 2x4, 1x6) was stung by a searing Bumrah bouncer, which tailed back in towards the throat. Shaw fended uncomfortably, lost balance, and popped the ball to the wicketkeeper.

Rishabh Pant (39, 33b, 4x4, 1x6) and Rovman Powell (43, 34b, 1x4, 4x6) rebuilt the DC innings with a 75-run fifth wicket partnership. Skipper Pant played a patient hand, while Powell showed good intent by hitting spinner Hrithik Shokeen for two sixes over mid-wicket in the 12th over.

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The stand was broken when Pant chased and nicked a wide delivery from medium-pacer Ramandeep Singh. Bumrah returned to the attack and struck Powell’s off stump. The pinpoint yorker proved to be too good for Powell, who brought his bat down much later.

Axar Patel smashed a couple of maximums to add some substance to the DC total. DC was helped by some sloppy MI fielding.

Ramandeep went for 29 runs off two overs, but picked up two wickets. Leg-spinner Mayank Markande was economical, finishing with tidy figures of one for 26 in his four overs.