In a captivating encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Mumbai Indians (MI) orchestrated a remarkable comeback to secure a hard-fought 12-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 29th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
After winning the toss and opting to field, the Capitals witnessed Mumbai post a challenging total of 205/5. Despite a blistering start to their chase, the home side faltered under pressure and disciplined bowling from the visitors.
Mumbai’s innings saw their opening pair provide a brisk start, laying a solid foundation. However, Rohit Sharma (18) couldn’t convert his promising beginning into a substantial score, falling within the powerplay. Kuldeep Yadav further dented Mumbai’s progress by dismissing the dangerous Ryan Rickelton (41).
Suryakumar Yadav (40) and Tilak Varma then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership for the third wicket. Varma went on to reach a well-deserved half-century (59 off 33 balls), while a late aggressive cameo from Naman Dhir (38 off just 17 deliveries) provided the much-needed acceleration, propelling MI past the 200-run mark. For Delhi, the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam bowled impressively in the middle overs, picking up two crucial wickets each. Notably, Mumbai’s 205/5 was the lowest first-innings total in the last six IPL matches played at this venue since the 2024 season, highlighting the generally high-scoring nature of the pitch.
Chasing a formidable 206 for victory, Delhi Capitals endured a disastrous start as Deepak Chahar struck gold with the very first ball, dismissing the explosive Jake Fraser-McGurk for a golden duck. However, the introduction of Karun Nair as an impact substitute sparked a breathtaking counter-attack. Nair unleashed a flurry of boundaries, racing to a sensational half-century in just 22 balls, propelling Delhi to their highest powerplay score of the season (72/1) and their second-highest ever against MI.
Nair forged a dominant 119-run partnership with Abhishek Porel, who played a composed innings for his 33. This stand now stands as the second-highest second-wicket partnership (or lower) for Delhi against MI, underlining the control they exerted during this crucial phase of the chase.
However, the game’s complexion shifted dramatically with the introduction of Mumbai’s impact substitute, Karn Sharma. The veteran leg-spinner provided the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Porel, stemming the flow of runs. Mitchell Santner further compounded Delhi’s woes by removing the well-set Karun Nair, who fell agonizingly short of a century on a brilliant 89. This dismissal triggered a significant collapse for DC. The experienced Jasprit Bumrah removed the dangerous Axar Patel and Karn Sharma continued his impactful spell, picking up the crucial wickets of Tristan Stubbs and KL Rahul in quick succession effectively derailing the Delhi chase.
The mounting pressure and disciplined bowling from Mumbai led to a sense of panic in the Delhi batting lineup. Three consecutive run-outs in the final overs sealed their fate, handing Mumbai an unlikely victory from a seemingly precarious position. At the halfway stage, with Delhi comfortably placed at 113/1, they appeared to be in firm control, but Mumbai’s strategic bowling changes and pressure tactics in the latter half orchestrated a remarkable turnaround.
A significant factor in Mumbai’s comeback was their astute utilization of the revised IPL rule regarding ball changes. Due to the increasing dew, MI opted to change the ball at the end of the 13th over. The drier ball offered significantly more grip and turn for the spinners, a factor that Mumbai’s bowlers, particularly Karn Sharma and Santner, exploited brilliantly. While the pitch initially favoured batting, it offered enough assistance to the spinners in the later stages, a crucial aspect that Mumbai capitalized on effectively.
This victory marks Mumbai Indians’ second win of the season and extends their impressive record of successfully defending totals of 200 or more in the IPL to 15 instances, maintaining their unbeaten streak when defending such scores. For Delhi Capitals, this is their first defeat of the season and their 45th loss at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the joint-most for any team at a single venue in the IPL.
Karn Sharma was deservedly awarded the Man of the Match for his game-changing spell of three wickets for 36 runs, which turned the tide decisively in Mumbai’s favour. This thrilling encounter will be etched in memory for Mumbai’s remarkable comeback from a seemingly losing position and Delhi’s dramatic collapse under pressure, epitomizing the unpredictable and exhilarating nature of the Indian Premier League.
Scorecard:
Mumbai Indians: 205-5, Overs 20, Tilak Varma 59, Kuldeep Yadav 2/23
Delhi Capitals: 193, Overs 19, Karun Nair 89, Karn Sharma 3/36