Mumbai beat Delhi by 98 runs

Himanshu Shekhar/Zeecric.com Chasing a mammoth 219 runs for victory, Delhi lost its plot mid-way through the innings and succumbed to 98 runs defeat after Mumbai posted Indian Premier League -2010’s highest innings total. The result of the match was a forgone conclusion when Delhi lost its top 6-wkts for just 106 runs and Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir did not come out to bat after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the night. Earlier, unfazed by the mammoth Mumbai total, Tilakratne Dilshan and Virender Sehwag launched up a counter attack chase as Delhi looked all set to take the fight well towards the mid-night. But, alas! that just proved a mirage for the home team. For a moment of brilliance, Dilshan started the thrilling chase with a courageous four on the very first ball of the innings as a lofted drive rolled past over the mid off boundary. Dilshan’s bravery ended with a brilliant slower one from Lasitha Malinga, world cricket’s rare commodity. That dismissal at the top opened the flood gates as Delhi was further pegged back by Dwayne Bravo when their skipper Virender Sehwag (26) miscued a delivery only to see a comfortable catch in long off. Bravo once again proved the ultimate weapon at Tendulkar’s disposal as he then got rid off AB de Villiers (11). The misery continued for the home side as Dinesh Karthik (28), who until then had hit three consecutive fours, missed a full on delivery from Harbhajan Singh and was brilliantly stumped by wicketkeeper Aditya Tare. Harbhajan fired it on the leg side as Karthik tried to step out and lift, but failed. The dismissal saw the teams departing for strategy break. The break brought no respite for Delhi as Sanath Jayasuriya got the wicket of his very first ball. Mithun Manhas failed to hit a nicely tossed delivery and Sathish completed the formality. Barring Farveez Maharoof’s 28 runs innings no other Delhi Daredevils batsman moved into a double digit mark as Mumbai Indians bowlers kept chipping in with regular wickets. Tendulkar was adjudged as the player of the match.Mumbai Innings Earlier, runs rained at the newly laid Kotla track as Mumbai Indians amassed IPL 2010’s highest innings total of 218/7 in stipulated twenty overs. And to credit that, if Saurabh Tiwary becomes the most searched word in Indian cricket tomorrow morning then just don’t frown. The young prodigy kept Mumbai’s promise of posting a huge total after Tendulkar’s departure and frustrated Delhi bowlers with some brutal assault. Tiwary’s blitzkrieg lasted for 37 balls. The southpaw cleared the fence on three occasions for maximum and scored 61 runs before being run out by Dinesh Karthik. The superb innings from the left hander was only second to Tendulkar as the little master maintained a strike rate of staggering 196.88. I was bringing up a live match report from IPL 2010 most awaited encounter. And what else I could have wrote when the maestro was batting? I was falling short of adjectives when Sachin Tendulkar was on song. But to rescue me and Daredevils, came Yogesh Nagar. Once again the substitute fielder ran for his life to pull off another blinder as Tendulkar’s fireworks came to an abrupt end. The legend lasted for 32 balls and scored 63 runs before obliging Amit Mishra.
Tendulkar just took 23 balls to bring up a fifty which easily made one ask, how can India afford to miss such an asset in upcoming T20 World Cup in Caribbean Islands? But all that is a different debate for some another time. Tonight, the infamous Kotla ground saw even and steady bounce as Sachin started milking Delhi Daredevils bowling to start the proceedings for Mumbai. Square cuts or pull shots flowed from the little maestro’s repertoire as Mumbai cashed in the charge and brought up its fifty run score in fewer than five overs. Expectedly, old war horses, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar opened the innings for Mumbai and got into the act from the onset as Delhi’s fielders were caught warming up. as the duo brought on a 38 run partnership, only to see a brilliant catch from Yogesh Nagar ending Jayasuriya’s misery at the crease. Leaping high in air which could have envied Kobe Bryant, Nagar pulled of a sensational catch and gave some respite to Gambhir’s men as Jayasuriya walked back in disappointment. Jayasuriya, in particular tried his best to break free from the clutches set by accurate line and length of Dirk Nannes but was struggling to get away. But importantly, the duo stuck to their guns and set the stage for a fierce battle in jam packed Kotla ground. Jayasuriya’s departure saw Aditya Tare join the crease with Sachin Tendulkar. The hard hitting Mumbai wicket-keeper made his presence felt before being clean bowled by Pradeep Sangawan. Tare scored 17 runs before completely missing the line as the leather crashed onto the middle and leg stump. Tare’s removal saw Jharkhand hero and Dhoni-styled, Saurabh Tiwary, join the crease with little master.
In the end Mumbai ended up posing IPL season three’s most challenging total of 218/7 in stipulated twenty overs. Earlier, Delhi Daredevils won the toss and elected to field first against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday. For those interested in Mumbai’s new West Indian imports, Keiron Pollard, the costliest player scored 10 of 8 balls and took one wicket while Bravo scored 9 runs and dislodged 2 Delhi batters in a winning cause for Mumbai Indians.Delhi Daredevils (Playing XI): Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir(c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik(w), Mithun Manhas, Farveez Maharoof, Pradeep Sangwan, Amit Mishra, Sarabjit Ladda, Dirk Nannes Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Sachin Tendulkar(c), Sanath Jayasuriya, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Aditya Tare(w), Saurabh Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu, Rajagopal Sathish, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga.