After back-to-back losses, it was high time for him to “step up”. Rohit Sharma responded to the challenge with a near-perfect execution, ensuring Mumbai Indians got off the mark in this IPL beating Delhi Capitals by six wickets in another nerve-wracking contest at the Kotla on Tuesday.
The onus was on Rohit (65 off 45 balls) and his Capitals counterpart David Warner to help their respective teams break the duck as they were winless going into this game. Warner (51 off 47 balls) continued with his “routine” stuff of scoring a half-century at a strike rate of just over 100, but Rohit made sure he regained his flow and took on the Capitals bowlers from the onset.
The Kotla track certainly had something in it for the spinners, but the solidity and assurance Rohit showed at one end instilled a bit of confidence in his opening partner Ishan Kishan (31). Rohit and Ishan stitched 71 upfront in just over seven overs, which laid an ideal platform for Mumbai after the Capitals were all out for 172.
Following Ishan’s departure, Rohit got very good support from Tilak Varma (41), Mumbai’s most consistent batter so far. It looked pretty easy for Mumbai when Varma hit Capitals’ Impact Player Mukesh Kumar (for Prithvi Shaw) for two sixes and a four in the 16th over of Mumbai’s run-chase, bringing the equation down to 34 off 26 balls.
But Mukesh struck twice in the next two balls, having both Varma and the horribly out-of-form Suryakumar Yadav caught at the deep. Overall, Surya had a nightmarish day as he had also dropped a catch from Axar Patel (54 off 25 balls) catch and injured his eye in the process.
In the very next over, Bengal glovesman Abishek Porel took a blinder that helped Mustafizur Rahman pick up the big wicket of Rohit. That catch put the pressure right back on Mumbai.
However, all-rounder Cameron Green (17 not out) and Mumbai’s Impact Player Tim David (coming in for Riley Meredith) held their nerves and smashed a six each in the crucial penultimate over off Mustafizur to regain Mumbai the momentum.
Mumbai needed only five off the deciding over. But with Anrich Nortje being spot-on with his fast, yorker-length stuff, the Capitals made a match out of it despite Mukesh dropping a sitter at mid-wicket to let David (13 not out) off in the second ball of the over.
With two required off the last ball, David pushed towards long-off as he and Green sprinted to get those remaining runs. A better throw from Warner could have forced a Super Over, but David also did well to put in the dive that ensured Mumbai a much-needed win.
Piyush Chawla after dismissing Lalit Yadav, one of his three wickets on Tuesday. PTI picture
Chawla’s spin
Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla (3/22) earlier played an important role in denting the Capitals’ progress in the middle overs, till Axar fought back for Delhi. Chawla first removed Manish Pandey and then accounted for Rovman Powell and Lalit Yadav as the Capitals collapsed to 98/5 in the 13th over from being solidly placed at 76/1 in over No.9.
