Mumbai Indians high on title No 5
MI defend title with five-wicket win over Delhi Capitals and become the most successful IPL team
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma has a simple formula for the team’s domination of the Indian Premier League: “Sheer brilliance”. It is difficult to argue with his claim after the Indians crushed Delhi Capitals by five wickets in Dubai on Tuesday to take their fifth title and cement their place as the IPL’s most successful side.
Some doubted Mumbai as they went into the tournament, moved to empty stadiums in the United Arab Emirates because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mumbai had never won backto-back titles and never triumphed in an even year. “Superstitions,” said coach Mahela Jayawardene. And between the hard-hitting runs of Sharma and fellow opener Quinton de Kock and the devastating fast bowling of Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai swept aside everything in their path in 2020.
“It’s not rocket science, we have worked really hard for this balance, these players,” according to Sharma. “It was just sheer brilliance from each individual, putting their hand up at different stages. The balance and the strength of this team lies in individual belief.”
“We said at the start we want to make winning a habit, and you couldn’t have asked any more from the guys,” said Sharma.
Mumbai pick and choose their players carefully and make sure they are cosseted once accepted into the fold. The main tactic has been to steamroller opponents from the start, with the bat or ball. “Big-hitting has been in Mumbai Indians’ DNA for a long time,” said coach Mahela Jayawardene.
“I’ve been here 11 years, fifth trophy,” said veteran West Indies player Kieron Pollard, who led the side when Sharma was injured. “No one sees the planning and training, it’s pressure playing for a franchise like this.”
“The amount of trophies, the amount of talent that’s there, you can say Mumbai Indians is the best T20 team going around.” Mumbai, who won the finals in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, stormed into this season’s final by finishing top of the league stage. They beat Delhi four times over the season.
Boult set up victory in the final with three wickets including one strike off the first ball of the match and a quick follow-up in his second over.
Sharma hit 68 in his team’s comfortable run chase of 157, reached with eight balls to spare.
Mumbai’s back-to-back titles have left their nearest rivals, Mahanedra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings, floundering. Three-time winners Chennai failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time.
Sharma, 33, who has now been captain for seven years, missed a few games with a hamstring injury but the final was his 200th IPL appearance and the winning formula is unlikely to change.
The team has always been full of legends with Sachin Tendulkar their founder captain but it was under Sharma that Mumbai found their winning touch.
Bumrah and Boult, who moved from Delhi Capitals this year, shared 52 wickets over the season and finished second and third in the bowlers’ rankings behind Delhi’s Kagiso Rabada with 30 scalps.
Up and coming players are brought in and supported. Ishan Kishan, their 22-year-old batsman, played a key part in the final and ended the season with 516 runs including four fifties.
South African wicketkeeperbatsman de Kock also played a key part in Mumbai’s two successive titles with 503 runs this year alone and some brave catches and takes behind the stumps.
“I think the guys really did hard work to make sure we can hold on to the title two years in a row,” said the South African.
Fatigue crept in
Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer says his otherwise outstanding bowlers “lost it in powerplay” after a disastrous start prevented them from posting a challenging total. Losing three early wickets pegged the Capitals back as they could post only a modest 156 for seven.
“It’s just the fatigue that crept in may be, bowlers just lost it in the Powerplay,” a disappointed
Iyer said at the post match press conference. DC captain said he does not regret his decision to bat first. After being reduced to 22 for 3, Iyer (65 off 50) and Rishabh Pant (56 off 38) stitched 96 runs for the fourth wicket to stabilise the innings.
“I thought it was very good decision (to bat first). When you enter the final, it’s very important to get off to a good start and that’s what we lacked in this game. Obviously, there was pressure of getting good score in the Powerplay.
We had already lost three wickets so it was important that we scored runs and also save wickets at the same time,” he said.
“I think we reached to a very decent total in the Powerplay and after that we capitalised there onwards and got to a decent total until 15th over I
guess but after that everything came down.” Iyer was effusive in his praise for his bowling unit despite an off day in the summit clash. He picked purple cap winner Kagiso Rabada (30 wickets from 17 games) and veteran Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Well, they (bowlers) have been outstanding throughout. KG getting the purple cap, setting a great example for all the bowlers in the team. Also Ashwin, he has got a great mind and he knows the strategies pretty well.
“Lot of positives to take from this series and I am really happy with the overall performance in this league,” he said.
Analysing DC’s performance this year, Iyer highlighted some grey areas where he feels the team needs to work on before the next season.