DELHI’S LOSS, RCB’S GAIN
Mumbai beats Capitals to pave the way for Bangalore to enter playoffs
Mumbai Indians did Royal Challengers Bangalore a huge favour by beating Delhi Capitals by five wickets in the IPL here on Saturday. Mumbai’s victory enabled Bangalore to sneak into the top four with 16 points, while Delhi was eliminated with 14 points from 14 games. Set to chase 160, Mumbai reached the target with five balls to spare. Mumbai opener Ishan Kishan gave his team a brisk start scoring 48 (35b, 3x4, 4x6). Towards the end, Tim David clobbered 34 (11b, 2x4, 4x6) and Dewald Brevis chipped in with 37 (33b, 1x4, 3x6).
Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah snapped three wickets as Mumbai produced a clinical bowling display to restrict Delhi to 159 for seven despite Rovman Powell’s fighting 34-ball 43.
Opting to field, Mumbai bowlers, led by Bumrah (3/25) left Delhi tottering at 50 for four in 8.4 overs but Powell and skipper Rishabh Pant (39 off 33 balls) shared 75 off 44 balls to rescue the innings and take it to a decent total.
Daniel Sams (1/30) and Riley Mereditch (0/9 in 2 overs) bowled well as did the spin duo of Mayank Markande (1/26) and Hrithik Shooken (0/34).
Ramandeep Singh (2/29 in 2 overs) also managed to scalp two wickets.
Returning to the team after recovering from a bout of typhoid, Prithvi Shaw looked in good touch as he pulled Sams across the mid-wicket boundary and then danced down the track to send the bowler over long-off for a maximum.
However, Sams produced the first breakthrough when he had David Warner caught by Bumrah at short third man.
Bumrah then turned the heat as he first found the outside edge of Mitchell Marsh with Rohit Sharma taking a low catch and then returned to send back Shaw with an unplayable bouncer.
It was time for Markande to shine next as Sarfaraz Khan nicked one outside the off-stump to see Delhi slump to 50 for four in ninth over.
With Shokeen and Markande bowling in tandem, Delhi scored its lowest total at the halfway mark this season -- 55 for four. While Pant dropped anchor, Powell exploded in the 12th over, smashing Shokeen for two maximums and a four to pick up 20 runs.
Markande was next in line as Powell deposited him over long-off, before Mumbai conceded four byes. Mumbai was also sloppy on the field with Tilak Varma and Bumrah’s misfields giving two fours to Delhi. Meredith bowled a tight over, conceding just two.
Rohit’s decison to give an over to Ramandeep seemed to have backfired as he bowled three wides and conceded a six and a four before taking Pant’s wicket in his final ball.
Powell then pulled Bumrah over deep square leg, while Axar Patel (19 not out) produced a timely six off Sams.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 159/7 in 20 overs (R Powell 43, J Bumrah 3/25) lost to Mumbai Indians 160/5 in 19.1 overs (I Kishan 48)