IPL 2020: All-round Mumbai seals top-two finish with nine-wicket win over Delhi

A nine-wicket mauling, with a whopping 34 balls to spare, for Mumbai Indians at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium meant the defending champion was assured of a top-two finish.

Ishan Kishan starred with the bat as Mumbai made light work of Delhi's 111-run chase.

The first game of the Indian Premier League’s penultimate double-header between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals resulted in one of the biggest mismatches of the tournament. A nine-wicket mauling, with a whopping 34 balls to spare, for Mumbai Indians at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday meant the defending champion was assured of a top-two finish. The Capitals, with its fourth loss on the trot, is still stuck at 14 points and will have to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore to ensure smooth sailing to Playoffs.

With Rohit Sharma still unfit, Kieron Pollard continued to lead in MI’s 200th IPL game. Despite Pollard opting to chase, Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer had a smile on his face since his camp was keen on setting a target.

 

All the smiles evaporated in no time when in-form Shikhar Dhawan’s uppish cut off Trent Boult in the opening over resulted in a sharp catch at point by Suryakumar Yadav. By the end of the Powerplay, Boult and Co. had the Capitals running for cover.

While Prithvi Shaw, who came in for Ajinkya Rahane, top-edged Boult for Quinton de Kock to pouch a skier, captain Iyer and Rishabh Pant continued to remain out of sorts. The duo’s struggle (35-run stand off 44 balls) was eventually over with Iyer being stumped off leggie Rahul Chahar.

 

In the next over, Bumrah struck twice. He first got rid of Marcus Stoinis with one that rose and moved off a good length and followed it up by jagging one back into Pant to trap him in front. At 62 for five in the 12th over, the fizz had gone out of the Capitals’ batting unit and the lower order eventually trundled to 110 for nine. The fact that none of the top seven scored at run-a-ball was a testament to Mumbai's bowling prowess.

Early wickets were the need of the hour if the Capitals had to avoid the NRR damage but once the all-southpaw combo of de Kock and Ishan Kishan got off to a flier, there was little interest in the chase. Kishan eventually completed the formalities with a whip off Anrich Nortje over long-leg for his third six of the day. The young keeper-batsman remained unbeaten on 72 off 47 balls.

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