Delhi deal the death blow
Daredevils bowlers again squeeze the runs in the final overs, beat Mumbai Indians by 10 runs
NEW DELHI: Against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the previous game, Delhi Daredevils bowlers conceded just 23 runs in four magical final overs to come roaring into the match before Quinton de Kock’s century sealed the win. Back on home turf, Delhi bowlers once again applied the choke at the death, against Mumbai Indians, to seal their third straight win.
Until the 13th over, with skipper Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya together, MI were cruising. The two had added 41 runs and the defending champions required 62 runs from 45 balls. However, four deliveries into the 13th over, skipper Zaheer Khan produced a superb throw to run out Pandya.
The left-handed Pandya had attacked both the leg spinners and it was getting difficult for Zaheer to counter that. Once Pandya fell, Amit Mishra, who took two crucial wickets, and Imran Tahir brought Delhi back into the game with tight bowling.
APPLYING THE BRAKES
Rohit anchored the innings on a slow Ferozeshah Kotla pitch, but couldn’t break free in the death overs as Delhi won by 10 runs.
Mumbai, chasing 165 to win, were 52 in six overs after Rohit and Ambati Rayadu had hit seven fours off two consecutive overs bowled by left-arm spinner Pawan Negi and Mohammed Shami. Zaheer turned to spin to slow things down.
Mishra conceded five runs in his first over and Tahir three in the next. Under pressure, Rayudu attacked Mishra and was bowled off the googly. The 53-run partnership had been broken.
However, with Krunal in, the right-left combination made things difficult even for the pacers. But once Zaheer caught Pandya short, the next five overs turned the match in favour of Delhi.
Jos Buttler could not get Chris Morris away and Mishra then trapped him with a googly. Tahir didn’t take a wicket but he and Mishra together conceded just 53 runs in eight overs. In this edition, Mishra has delivered whenever Zaheer has turned to him. Against Kings XI Punjab, he took the main wickets of Shaun Marsh, David Miller and Glenn Maxwell.
Daredevils are making it a habit to choke the rivals. Bowling first, Morris and Shami did that against RCB in Bengaluru. This time Morris and Zaheer tamed Mumbai.
With 42 required off 18 deliveries, and Rohit having scored his second consecutive halfcentury, Mumbai had the edge. But boundaries had dried up. With 21 needed off the last over, Rohit hit a six and 14 runs were needed off three balls. But his run out after a collision with Hardik Pandya the next ball dashed Mumbai’s hopes.