MUMBAI WINS FIFTH IPL CROWN
Mumbai trounces Delhi by five wickets to clinch a record-extending fifth IPL crown
Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front with a match-winning half-century as Mumbai Indians (MI) clinched its fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Mumbai, the most successful IPL team, defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by five wickets in the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday. Chasing 157 runs for a record-extending fifth crown, MI got past the finish line with eight balls to spare. Rohit was the chief contributor for the victor, scoring 68 runs off 51 balls, a knock that included five fours and four maximums. Earlier, Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile picked up three and two wickets, respectively, to restrict DC to a modest 156 for seven in its stipulated overs
DUBAI: Defending champion Mumbai Indians brushed aside the challenge of Delhi Capitals to clinch its fifth IPL trophy with a resounding five-wicket win in the final here on Tuesday. Mumbai also became just the second team to win back-to-back IPL crowns after Chennai Super Kings accomplished that feat in 2010 and 2011.
Apart from winning the toss, nothing else went right for the Capitals as it was restricted to a below-par 156 for seven. In reply, Mumbai got off to a flying start courtesy its openers Quinton de Kock and captain Rohit Sharma who put on 45 runs in just 4.1 overs.
Sharma, in particular, was aggressive from the outset clobbering offspinner R Ashwin for a six in the first over to make his intentions clear. Even after de Kock got out for 20 (12b, 3x4, 1x6), there was no let-up in Sharma’s intensity and he smacked legspinner Praveen Dubey for two sixes in the ninth over. Soon after, the 33-year-old brought up his 50 with a delectable boundary off Kagiso Rabada. At the halfway mark, the Mumbai team was sitting pretty at 88 for one. Suryakumar Yadav looked good during his brief stay of 19 (20b, 1x4, 1x6) before getting run out in a mix-up with his skipper. Sharma and the in-form Ishan Kishan then took their team to the cusp of a memorable win with a 47-run association before the former got out for a well-made 68 (51b, 5x4, 4x6). Kishan shepherded the rest of the chase with an unbeaten 33 (19b, 3x4, 1x6).
Earlier, Delhi captain Shreyas Iyer and the mercurial Rishabh Pant scored contrasting fifties.
The two rising stars of Indian cricket came to the party on the big day, after Trent Boult pegged their side back at 22 for 3 inside the Powerplay, adding 96 runs in 11.3 overs for the fourth wicket.
However, Mumbai Indians came back strongly during final five overs as Capitals managed only 45 runs, losing four wickets in the process.
While Iyer displayed more conservative shot selection in his 65 not out off 50 balls, the unconventional free-flowing Pant was back in his elements with 56 off 38 balls, his first half-century in 15 innings. Discarded from India’s white ball set-up, Pant let his bat do the talking on the final day, showing the world why he is considered to be special during a knock in which he smashed four fours and two sixes.
The treatment meted out to Krunal Pandya was that of pure disdain. A straight six coming down the track, a slog sweep over cow corner for another maximum. A customary fallen slog off Nathan Coulter-Nile behind square brought about his 50 but he tried one shot too many to perish.
Skipper Iyer, at the other end, was more classical with two cover driven boundaries off the ever-dangerous Trent Boult (3/30 in 4 overs). A flick off Coulter-Nile helped him settle down and allowed Pant to go on the offensive at the other end.
BRIEF SCORES: Delhi Capitals 156/7 in 20 overs (S Iyer 65*,
R Pant 56, T Boult 3/30) lost to Mumbai Indians 157/5 in 18.4 overs (R Sharma 68, I Kishan 33*)