New Delhi, (UNI) Mumbai Indians (MI) held their nerve in a pulsating finish to defeat Delhi Capitals (DC) by 12 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Sunday.
In a game that swung like a pendulum, Delhi collapsed under pressure in the final overs, suffering three run-outs in quick succession to be bowled out for 193 in 19 overs while chasing 206.
Put in to bat by Delhi, who won the toss, MI’s innings began with early setbacks. Opener Rohit Sharma (18) was dismissed in the fifth over, trapped leg-before by the accurate Vipraj Nigam. Despite this early blow, MI’s top order steadied the ship. Ryan Rickelton (41 off 25 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 28 balls) stitched a brisk partnership, guiding MI past the 100-run mark by the 12th over.
However, Delhi clawed back into the contest through Kuldeep Yadav’s crafty spell. He dismissed Rickelton with a deceptive googly and then accounted for Suryakumar Yadav, caught smartly by Mitchell Starc at deep square leg. At 135/3 in the 14th over, MI looked vulnerable.
But Tilak Varma’s knock (59 off 33 balls) and Naman Dhir’s cameo of 38 not out off 17 lifted MI to a competitive 205/5, with 70 runs coming off the last five overs. Starc and Kuldeep were the pick of DC’s bowlers, keeping things in check for large parts of the innings.
Delhi’s chase began inauspiciously, losing Jake Fraser-McGurk off the very first ball to Chahar, caught tamely at cover. But from that point, Karun Nair unleashed a spectacular counterattack. Making his IPL comeback, Nair blazed to 89 off just 40 deliveries, hitting 12 fours and 5 sixes, including audacious scoops, reverse-slaps, and drives that had the MI bowlers scratching their heads.
Abishek Porel complemented him well with a 25-ball 33, adding 119 runs for the second wicket. Karun reached his fifty with a flick off Bumrah and looked set to script a heroic chase. But his dismissal in the 12th over, clean bowled by a ripping delivery from Michell Santner, triggered a sensational collapse.
Karn Sharma spun a web around the middle-order, removing Porel, Stubbs, and Rahul in quick succession. Axar Patel too perished cheaply, mistiming a full toss from Jasprit Bumrah.
Yet DC weren’t done. Vipraj played a courageous cameo, striking a six and four off Santner before getting stumped for 14 (8) in the 18th over. The pressure was mounting, and then came a chaotic sequence that left fans breathless.
Three run-outs in four deliveries, starting with Ashutosh Sharma (17 off 14), who was brilliantly caught short despite a desperate dive. Kuldeep followed in the next ball, falling inches short while attempting a second run.
Then, in a comically tragic end, Mohit Sharma was caught ball-watching after bunting the ball to mid-wicket and was run out without facing a legitimate delivery.
Mitchell Starc, who might have pulled off a final-over miracle, was left stranded at the non-striker’s end as DC crumbled from 184/7 to 193 all out in mere moments.
Bumrah, who bowled the crucial penultimate over and was involved in two of the run-outs, finished with figures of 1/44. Santner (2/43) and Karn Sharma (3/36) were instrumental in triggering Delhi’s downfall after Karun Nair’s blitz.
The win keeps Mumbai firmly in the playoff hunt, while Delhi are left ruing yet another game that slipped through their fingers.
