Press Trust of India
New Delhi, April 23: Delhi Daredevils (DD) finally broke their losing streak at home by defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) by 37 runs at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here Thursday.
Chasing a total of 190, MI batsmen were restricted at 153 for the loss of nine wickets. Imran Tahir (3/22), Angelo Mathews (2/15) and Amit Mishra (2/32) didn’t allow the batsmen of the visiting team to convert their starts into big scores.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer (83, 56b, 7×4, 5×6) once more proved his prowess in the T20 format as he blasted the Mumbai Indians (MI) bowlers and helped Delhi Daredevils to a commanding score of 190 for the loss of four wickets. Iyer was ably helped by skipper JP Duminy (78 n o, 50b, 3×4, 6×6) and the two put on 154 runs for the second wicket to completely decimate the Mumbai attack.
Put into the bat by the visitors DD did not have the start they would have wanted as Mayank Agarwal fell to the third ball of the innings bowled by Mitchell McClenaghan. Trying to pull a short one, Agarwal got himself cramped for room and could only spoon the ball to Ambati Rayudu at short mid-wicket who caught the ball on his second attempt.
But that was all the success MI got as in the next 15 overs as Iyer and Duminy dominated proceedings. Both were circumspect to begin with playing with caution and at the completion of the 10th over the DD score read 65 for one.
The next couple of overs changed the scenario completely. Iyer got 16 of Jasprit Bumrah’s 11th over that included two boundaries and a six over long-on. Kieron Pollard coming in to bowl the 12th went for 20 runs – this time Duminy joining the mayhem hitting the West Indian all over the park. There were two sixes – one over square-leg and the other over mid-wicket – shots of sheer class that even had the bowler gaping.
After McClenaghan’s 13th over went for 11, MI skipper Rohit Sharma bought in Harbhajan Singh to ball the 14th. The offie till then had just conceded 16 in his first three overs. But as they name and fame really don’t count in the IPL and Iyer proved it by hitting the spinner for two successive sixes as Bhajji went for 18 in the over.
Brief scores: DD 190 for four (Shreyas Iyer 83, JP Duminy 78 n o) beat MI 153 for nine (Rohit Sharma 30, Ambati Rayudu 30; Imran Tahir 3/22, Angelo Mathews 2/15) by 37 runs.