In the 20th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mumbai Indians (MI) registered their first victory of the season, defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) by 29 runs in a thrilling encounter at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
DC, having won the toss, opted to field first. Both sides, struggling in the ongoing tournament, made changes to their playing eleven. DC brought in Jhye Richardson and Kumar Kushagra, while MI welcomed back Suryakumar Yadav. Romario Shepherd replaced Mbye Makhaya, and Mohammad Nabi came in for Dewald Brevis.
Openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan provided a solid foundation for MI with an 80-run partnership. Sharma played a well-composed knock of 49, adding another milestone to his illustrious career by surpassing the 1000-run mark against DC in the IPL. However, DC clawed their way back into the contest, dismissing Sharma, Yadav, Kishan, and Tilak Varma in quick succession.
Hardik Pandya (39 off 33) steadied the innings, while Tim David (45* off 21) and Shepherd (39* off 10) provided a late flourish. Shepherd, in particular, unleashed carnage in the final over, smashing four sixes and two fours to propel MI to a formidable total of 234/5 in their 20 overs. The partnership between David and Shepherd yielded a staggering 53 runs in just 13 balls. This marked MI’s sixth 200+ score against DC, the most against any opponent in IPL history.
Chasing a mammoth target, Prithvi Shaw and David Warner opened the innings for DC. While Warner departed early for 10 runs, Shaw found a vital partner in Abhishek Porel. The duo stitched together a crucial partnership before Jasprit Bumrah provided the breakthrough, dismissing Shaw for a well-made 66. Bumrah continued his impressive spell, picking up Porel’s wicket for 41 runs, reaching the landmark of 150 wickets in the IPL.
Despite a valiant fifty from Tristan Stubbs (19 balls), wickets continued to fall at regular intervals for DC. MI bowlers maintained their discipline to restrict the opposition, securing a 29-run victory. This win marked a significant milestone for MI – their first of the season and their 50th win at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium.
Additionally, it extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches while defending a 200+ score in the IPL. No team has ever successfully chased down a target of 200+ against MI in IPL history.
Romario Shepherd was deservedly awarded the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, contributing a quick-fire 39 runs with the bat and picking up a crucial wicket with the ball.
With this victory, Mumbai Indians climbed to the eighth position in the points table, while Delhi Capitals slumped further down to tenth.
Scorecard:
Mumbai Indians: 234/5, Overs 20, Rohit Sharma 49 (27), Axar Patel 2/35
Delhi Capitals: 205-8, Overs 20, Tristan Stubbs 71* (25), Gerald Coetzee 4/34