In between overs at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Sunday, ‘dope shope’ was being played and a full-house was intoxicated by 14 boundaries and two sixes in Virender Sehwag’s 57-ball 95. And, yes Delhi Daredevils are on the points table.
‘Viru Viru’ chants were the order of the day here in the Capital and if Sehwag’s willow talks in that fashion, even Sachin Tendulkar can be second best with his 57 which helped Mumbai Indians reach a healthy 161. In the end, nothing could have been enough and a nine-wicket victory with three overs to spare talks about a thumping triumph.
Perhaps Sir Vivian Richards’, who joined the hosts on Saturday, Midas touch rubbed on the Daredevils as their Sunday show was far away from their dismal six losses in as many matches prior to the game.
For the visitors, Mitchell Johnson gave way to Dwayne Smith which left the strike bowler’s gap for the team though Smith would open with Sachin and captain Ricky Ponting would come in the middle-order. Other changes were Munaf Patel in for Pragyan Ojha and Jasmit Bumrah for Rishi Dhawan.
The task of opening the bowling with lasith Malinga was on the 19-yr-old Bumrah. He had Sehwag and with a new batting partner in captain Mahela Jayawardene in front of him. If Mumbai might have faltered in strategy leaving out Johnson, Delhi were right on the money as Mahela gives them that choice of mixing attack with defense.
The line was to be on the wickets because room outside the off-stump was playing to Sehwag’s strength but nothing worked. If it was up to the stumps, the Delhi Dasher would give it a whack over the covers, the short ball - Bumrah’s is a medium pacer, - would be pulled t as unorthodox a position as long-on. Then if it was slightly on the leg-stump a glance would see it going to the fine-leg boundary. Bumrah leaking 25 runs in his first two overs would dent his confidence somewhat but the experienced Mubaf giving away 24 in his two would make it figures slightly more readable.
If the bowlers had the courage to bowl outside off-stump it was a free for all. Even a lasith Malinga Yorker was deliberately fine-cut by Sehwag to the third-man boundary. No signs of back spasms there. Being a spinner also didn’t help even if it was the pedigreed Harbhajan Singh. The pitch didn’t offer turn and even good length deliveries were put away behind backward point by Sehwag in ominous touch.
By the time five overs were bowled, Delhi had reached 50 without the loss of a wicket. Sehwag was all guns blazing and Mahela was stylish as ever, helping himself with a 59 of 43 balls which included eight fours and a sweep of medium-pacer Smith which resulted in hit over the boundary. Together the duo shared a 151-run opening stand in 93 balls, their highest first wicket partnership in IPl.
Earlier, the Daredevils also made three changes to their side and surprisingly left out last-year’s purple cap holder Morne Morkel and brought in Andre Russell while Jeevan Mendis was left out due to a finger injury and Roelf Van der Merwe came in. The third change was Venugopal Rao for Manpreet Juneja. Another surprise came in the form of Russel bowling just one over where he gave away 13 runs.
Mumbai were slow to start with Sachin inclined on staying there while the team revolving around him. But two wickets, Smith and then Dinesh Karthik for 22 was not what they had thought of. Karthik was unlucky as while he was on the non-striker’s end, Sachin played a straight drive touched the bowler Umes Yadav’s fingers to hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Karthik out of the crease.
Together, Rohit Sharma and Sachin shared a 96-run stand with the Matser Blaster timing them while his younger partner being the aggressor. Highlight of Sharma’s innings, 73 from 43 balls, was a flick that he played of Yadav on a ball that pitched outside off-stump and the batsman flicked it over long-on.
Tendulkar’s was once again an innings which did lack the timing part but there were flashes of brilliance. Ajit Agarkar found this out when he bowled one short to Sachin which was pulled for a six as the crowd went berserk. The cheers during the Tendulkar’s stint would have confused one and all as to whose home ground it was.
The big win has given Delhi something from where they can still keep fighting. They next play Kings Eleven Punjab at the Kotla in two days time. Mumbai now have three wins and three losses in six matches as they leave for Kolkata to play the defending champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders but a bigger event awaits them as Tendulkar turns 40 on the same day.
Brief Scores
Mumbai Indians: 161/4 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 73, Sachin Tendulkar 54; Umesh Yadav 2/31) lost to Delhi Daredevils: 165/1 in 17 overs (Virender Sehwag 95 not out, Mahela Jayawardene 59) by 9 wickets.