Powered by Krunal Pandya’s rip-roaring 86 (37b, 7x4, 6x6), Mumbai Indians pulverised Delhi Daredevils for a thumping 80-run victory at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy Stadium here on Sunday night. Running aground Delhi’s reply to Mumbai’s 206 for four was Jasprit Bumrah with a bag of three for 13.
Some lusty blows from Quinton de Kock made amends for the loss of three top-order wickets in less than eight overs of the Delhi innings. The South African southpaw however fell hook, line and sinker for Krunal Pandya’s ploy, lured to his doom by a slow ball verging on a wide, way outside off. Buttler behind the stumps had him caught cutting.
Fumbling middle orderThe Delhi middle order did itself disservice, showing little inclination or interest in occupation of the crease. Spurring the decline was J-P. Duminy, lucky with one skier that eluded the field, but persistent in this, had his heavenward-hit off Bumrah descending into Buttler’s gloves. Bumrah, all arms, variations and wickets, then wreaked havoc. Off the very next ball, he extracted an edge from Rishab Pant that crashed into the woodwork.
While the hat-trick didn’t materialise, he castled Amit Mishra. With the asking rate becoming a mountain impossible to climb, a lost-cause, late-order slog commenced, Chris Morris patting Vinay Kumar over the boundary line behind point for a six.
The inevitable could only be delayed as Mumbai tightened the noose, Delhi’s hapless tail nowhere equal to the task.
Rohit Sharma slopped talent like a careless barman does expensive drinks. The ease with which he thrice carted seamer and spinner alike over the electronic signboards suggested there was no devil in the wicket to exorcise. Sure enough the PowerPlay produced a healthy 45 without loss, a marked improvement over Mumbai’s two earlier games here at ‘home.’
The short but sweet stay ended when Rohit swatted Mishra but was picked up by point Pant. The second-wicket stand between Guptill and Krunal prospered to a half-century in 31 balls.
Then the slugfest began, with Krunal clearing the hoardings half a dozen times, leaving Guptill gasping perhaps with just half as many maximums.
Severe on the spinners, especially Tahir, the most expensive bowler in the league so far, Krunal feasted on Mishra, Nadeem and even hoisted Zaheer Khan over the mid-wicket fence.
The pummelling from Pandya was fast and furious. Morris’ slower one felled the swashbuckler, the Protean paceman spot on in knocking down the middle stump.
Pollard went cheaply but Buttler signed off with a six.
