Mumbai: Rishabh Pant (78 n o, 27b, 7×4, 7×6) blazed away to an unbeaten 27-ball 78 and powered Delhi Capitals to an emphatic 37-run win against Mumbai Indians in the IPL encounter here, Sunday.
Pant was at his demolishing best as he led Delhi to a mammoth 213/6 at the Wankhede Stadium. In reply, the hosts couldn’t maintain such tempo losing wickets at regular intervals to be eventually bowled out for 176 with four balls to spare.
Chasing a massive target, in a wicket which looked like a batting-friendly, had an unimpressive start as both their openers skipper Rohit Sharma (14) and Quinton de Kock (27) got out after a flying start with both falling to Ishant Sharma (2/34).
Kieron Pollard (21) and Yuvraj Singh (53, 35b, 5×4, 3×6) tried to resurrect the innings, with a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket before the former got out. However, Yuvraj found an able ally in Krunal Pandya (32, 15b, 5×4, 1×6) and the duo added a quick-fire 39 for the sixth wicket.
From there on, MI couldn’t do much with the increasing required rate climbing high ball-by-ball and they eventually bowled out for 176.
Earlier, Pant raced to his half century in 18 balls at the Wankhede Stadium, which looked too small for the Delhi dazzler. Pant, playing his natural game, mercilessly punished the Mumbai bowlers after South African Colin Ingram (47, 32b, 7×4, 1×6) and Shikhar Dhawan (43, 36b, 4×4; 1×6) pulled the visitors out of the rubble and laid the foundation of a big total with their 83-run stand for the third wicket.
The young wicketkeeper was brutal on Hardik Pandya, whom he hammered for two sixes and a four in the 16th over to start the destruction and then spared none.
The duo of Dhawan and Ingram rallied the Delhi innings after they lost two quick wickets – Prithvi Shaw (7) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (16) – inside the first four overs – and also took the Mumbai attack to cleansers.
Brief scores
Delhi Capitals 213/6 (Rishabh Pant 78 n o, Colin Ingram 47; Mitchell McClenaghan 3/40) bt Mumbai Indians 176 (Yuvraj Singh 53; Kagiso Rabada 2/23) by 37 runs.