The slow pitch at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium would, in any case, have been a factor considering how batsmen have struggled to play strokes on that surface since the UAE leg of this IPL began.

Delhi Capitals obviously knew about it, having played at the venue just a few days ago against Kolkata Knight Riders. Yet, they almost messed it up despite a wonderful effort from their bowlers early on against a misfiring Mumbai Indians on Saturday. Shreyas Iyer (33 not out) and Ravichandran Ashwin (20 not out)’s sensible batting ultimately guided the Capitals to a four-wicket win.

After the Capitals put Mumbai in, quicks Avesh Khan (3/15) and Anrich Nortje (1/19), along with left-arm spinner Axar Patel (3/21), were spot-on and choked Mumbai to a modest 129/8. Loose strokes from some of the Capitals batsmen did bring Mumbai back in the game, but Shreyas and Ashwin’s unbeaten 39-run seventh-wicket stand took the Capitals home.

For Ashwin, it was about making some amends after a poor show with the ball. That too, on a wicket where most of the Mumbai batsmen, including captain Rohit Sharma, struggled to find touch. Ashwin slog-swept Krunal Pandya off the very first ball of the final over, in which Delhi required four for victory, for a six that ensured things didn’t become tighter for his team.

The Capitals, already having made the play-offs, are on 18 points with two more games to go in the league phase. For Mumbai, their loss is a relief for Kolkata Knight Riders (fourth) and Punjab Kings (fifth) as the defending champions have slipped to seventh in the standings with 10 points.

Shreyas temperament

Shreyas arrived at the middle after Shikhar Dhawan ran himself out while going for a needless run before Prithvi Shaw, coming back after injury, perished missing a straightforward delivery. Inside the fifth over of their run chase, the Capitals were already under pressure at 30/3.

Captain Rishabh Pant (26), Axar and Shimron Hetmyer, all of them got themselves in but couldn’t carry on. Yet, Shreyas wasn’t unnerved.

Temperament-wise too, the former Capitals skipper proved he has grown, taking calculated risks and treating the ball according to its merit. In T20s too, Shreyas proved that strike rate can be over-rated at times, scoring his runs (at a strike rate of 100) with just two boundaries.

Avesh spell

Making an impression in the first leg itself, Avesh seems to be looking sharper.

Not just varying his pace, but in terms of executing the yorker, through which he dismissed a set Hardik Pandya, Avesh did a good job in this game. The one that castled Hardik at the death was indeed crucial for his team, after he dismissed Rohit early in the second over.

Pitch Report

⚫ Best strike rate (30 or more runs): 126.92 Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
⚫ Most fours: 3 Rishabh Pant (DC)
⚫ Most sixes: 2 Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
⚫ Best partnership: 39* R. Ashwin/Shreyas Iyer (DC)
⚫ Most dot balls: 16 Avesh Khan (DC)
⚫ Most fours conceded: 3 Anrich Nortje (DC); Jasprit Bumrah (MI)
⚫ Most sixes conceded: 3 R. Ashwin (DC)
⚫ MoM: 3/21 in 4 overs Axar Patel (DC)