Delhi Capitals (DC) registered their second consecutive victory of the season after beating Mumbai Indians (MI) by six wickets in Match 13 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.
Amit Mishra grabbed four important wickets, while Shikhar Dhawan led from the top with the bat to get DC over the line against MI. DC, who chased a target of 138, made two changes from the previous game, bringing in Shimron Hetmyer and Mishra.
In the first over, Dhawan survived a close call despite a stunning effort by Hardik Pandya in the covers.
However, MI got an early wicket in the form of Prithvi Shaw after the right man was caught and bowled by Jayant Yadav in the second over.
Dhawan, who was joined by Steve Smith in the middle, carried his rich form to the pubs and built a consistent partnership with the right-hander.
The duo denied MI an extra wicket in the powerplay and finished DC with 39-1 at the end of six overs.
Dhawan and Smith continued to rotate the strike and refrained from playing dangerous shots, keeping the target in mind.
Smith whipped two fours off Krunal Pandya in the ninth over and grabbed the fifty partnership along with Dhawan for the second wicket.
Kieron Pollard, who bowled the 11th over of the innings, provided Smith’s all-important breakthrough after the right-hand man held in front of him at 33.
Dhawan continued to play confidently, hitting two fours in the next two overs as he joined Lalit Yadav, who continued to rotate the strike.
Although MI did not hit in the middle poles, they still managed to increase the pressure on Dhawan and Yadav as DC needed 48 off 36.
Dhawan cut four and six respectively on the first two deliveries off Rahul Chahar’s bowling but a spinner bounced back with a wicket after a DC opener was caught in the depths for a good low catch by Krunal Pandya.
DC Shipper Rishabh Pant was the next man to go out as Bumrah’s slower delivery did the trick. The left wing was sacked after hitting four fours as DC needed 22 off the last three overs.
Shimron Hetmyer, who joined Yadav in the middle, got off the mark with four as DC closed in on target. Bumrah surrendered ten runs in the last but one after overlapping twice as DC asked for 5 in the last over.
Hetmyer kept his caution and chased the total with four crucial moments after Pollard bowled the final of the inning.
Earlier, MI chose to bow first on dry wicket in Chennai and made one change – Jayant replaced Adam Milne in the XI play.
Marcus Stoinis handled the new ball responsibility very well and got an early wicket for DC after de Kock edged one to the wicketkeeper and walked back to the pavilion.
But MI spinner Suryakumar Yadav struck four four and six between them as they backed up their attack and took Ashwin’s bowling variations.
They further attacked Rabada’s pace and grabbed 14 runs off the fifth over. While Surya played with soft hands for four, Rohit smacked the ruler down the ground for maximum.
Surya hit two boundaries in the sixth over off Amit Mishra as MI were 55-1 at the end of Powerplay.
Rohit was dealing in boundaries but Surya at the other end grabbed one for Pant and Avesh Khan broke the 58 run stand, scalding his first wicket.
Amit Mishra came in to bowl the ninth over which started the fall of MI. The leg spinner chose the well-settled Rohit and Hardik Pandya in one over after the two right-handers nailed Smith in the long run.
MI were 78-4 at the 10-over mark before Lalit Yadav struck as Krunal Pandya broke a single on his stems. DC spinners continued their good work against MI batters as Mishra grabbed his third wicket, catching Kieron Pollard before the wickets for two.
Jayant Yadav joined Ishan Kishan out in the middle as they formed a consistent partnership and brought MI to 101-6 at the end of 15 overs.
Kishan ended the boundary drought and went down the ground for a maximum off Ashwin in the 16th over. Kishan and Jayant Yadav added 39 useful runs before Mishra bagged his fourth wicket from the pubs and brought an end to Kishan’s stay in the crease.
Rabada Jayant dismissed Yadav in the last but one while Avesh Khan got the best of Rahul Chahar in the final as MI ended their innings with a total of 137-9. (IPL)