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New Delhi: Batting first is generally a good bet on Indian pitches, especially in summers. The formula is to post a big total and then apply pressure on the opposition. But Delhi Daredevils had a different gameplan. They wanted to know how many runs they would have to chase to win the IPL game against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.
However, the newly-laid Kotla pitch turned out to be a belter and Daredevils' decision to field first backfired. Boasting of a strong batting line-up, Mumbai Indians made the most of the good batting conditions and put up a formidable 218/7 on the board.
The hosts, also boasting of a powerful batting line-up but hamstrung by skipper Gautam Gambhir's injury, could never really threaten the target, losing wickets regularly to end up at 120 in 16.3 overs. Thus, Mumbai Indians won by a whopping 98 runs to notch up their second successive win. For Delhi, it was their first defeat in three ties.
Even as Gambhir was nursing his injury in the dressing room, his counterpart, the great Sachin Tendulkar, lit up the Delhi sky with a dazzling display of strokeplay. It was Sachin's 62 off 32 balls which gave the impetus to Mumbai innings. Young Saurabh Tiwary proved to be the perfect foil, timing the ball to a nicety.
Sachin took centrestage from the word go and there were no half measures as he played his strokes with the abandon of a rookie hand. The impressive Tiwary was not of inspiration and put up 61 off 37 balls. Ambati Rayudu, another Mumbai young gun, made a quickfire 34. Kieron Pollard, the new sensation from the Caribbean, got his first hit in the IPL but played only eight balls.
Among Delhi bowlers, only Dirk Nannes could command respect.
Gambhir, had to leave the field due to a groin injury in the second over of the day itself, did not come out to bat at all. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik led the side. In Gambhir's absence, T Dilshan stepped in to open the innings with Virender Sehwag but his bad run in the tournament continued.
With the score at 56/1 after six overs, Delhi looked like putting up a good fight but Dwayne Bravo deceived Sehwag with the first ball of the seventh over and the innings simply fizzled out after that. Bravo, Harbhajan and Jayasuriya all bagged two wickets each as Mumbai Indians squeezed the life out their rivals.
Brief scores
Mumbai Indians: 218 for 7 (Tendulkar 63, Tiwary 61)
Delhi Daredevils: 120 for 9 (Bravo 2-11, Jayasuriya 2-17)
Result: Mumbai Indian by 98 runs
MOM: Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians)
