Picture : Twitter / IPL
Defending Champions and four time IPL champions ( (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 Mumbai Indians powered their their to yet another IPL final as they demolished Delhi Capitals in the first Qualifier by a emphatic 57 runs in Dubai.
Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and asked Mumbai To bat first the the move was a blunder. Quinton de Kock set the tone by scoring 15 runs in the first over by Daniel Sams. De Kock scored a fine 40 off 25 balls. Skipper Rohit Sharma returning after injury flopped again after 4 in previous match was out for 0 in this match. Suryakumar Yadav in sublime form hit 51 off 38 balls . Kieron Pollard was out for 0, Krunal Pandya ( 13). The Mumbai Indians batting powered in the last overs thanks to the blistering partnership of 60 off mere 23 balls between Ishan Kishan unbeaten 55 and Hardik Pandya who hit a sensation 17 balls unbeaten 37 with five sixes. The last surge enabled Mumbai Indians reach an imposing 200/5 in twenty overs.
Delhi bowlers were hammered and their figures aid it all. Daniel Sams 0/44 ( 4 overs), Ravichandran Ashwin was brilliant 3/29 ( 4 overs), Kagiso Rabada 0/42 ( 4 overs), Axar Patel 0/27 ( 4 overs), Anrich Nortje was expensive 1/50 ( 4 overs), Marcus Stoinis 1/5 ( 1 over)
Chasing an imposing total, Delhi Capitals were rocked early. Completely out off form Prithvi Shaw had no clue to a Trent Boult special out for 0. Ajinkya Rahane could not read Bolut swing to be trapped leg before for 0. Delhi Capitals 0-2. Then a sizzling Jaspirt Bumrah yorker saw Shikhar Dhawan out for 0. Delhi Capitals 0- 3 in two overs. The game was well and truly truly over. Skipper Shreyas Iyer scored (12) . Rishabh Pant had opportunity to play big one. But like Prithiv Shaw completely out off form and low in confidence was out for 3. Pant has had a misrable IPL .Had not for Aussie all-rounder Marcus Stoinis who scored a fighting 65 and Axar Patel ( 42), Delhi would have been dismissed in double figures. At the end Delhi Capitals ended at 143 for 8 in their twenty overs.
Mumbai Indians bowling was superb with the lethal Bumrah – Boult combination. Bumrah was outstanding with 4/11 ( 4 overs), Boult has taken so far 13 wickets in power play. The number one Kiwi bowler had a splendid figures of 2/9 ( 2 overs), Krunal Pandya 1/22 ( 4 overs), Nathan Coulter-Nile 0/27 ( 4 overs), Rahul Chahar 0/35 ( 2 overs), Kieron Pollard 1/36 ( 4 overs)
While Mumbai Indians are in final with ease. Delhi Capitals will play the winner of the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore encounter ( they play in the eliminator) to have another crack in the final.
