Delhi destroy Mumbai to extend their lead at top

A rampant Delhi Daredevils posted the highest total of this year’s IPL on the back of a belligerent Sehwag, classy Jayawardene and demolishing Kevin Pietersen before facing off a brilliant partnership by Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Kartik, to win by 37 runs and extend their lead at the top of the table.

Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to field first. This decision by Harbhajan Singh backfired as openers Sehwag and Jayawardene raced away to 135 runs in just 13 overs. Sehwag survived a stumping chance when he was on 40, but carted the bowlers everywhere with brute power as he carried from where he left against Pune Warriors in the previous match. Keiron Pollard bowled one over in the innings and wasn’t brought on again as Sehwag scored 21 off the 5 deliveries he faced in that over, hitting 2 fours and 2 sixes against the helpless bowler. Mahela Jayawardene was his typical self with his runs coming in less violent but effective rate. He was the first wicket to fall at the start of the 14th over for Delhi as a reverse sweep was pulled straight to Rohit Sharma at point off Robin Peterson. Although Mumbai wouldn’t be too glad to see the back of Mahela as the incoming Pietersen didn’t take much time to take off, as he hit 3 consecutive boundaries including a six off the medium pace of Rahul Shukla in the second over he faced. However in the next over, Robin Peterson dismissed Sehwag and Irfan Pathan off successive deliveries to restore some sense of hope in the Mumbai camp. But KP had other ideas as he hit Robin Peterson for 20 runs in an over, bringing out the original switch hit that mesmerized everyone. Malinga accounted for Ross Taylor and Yogesh Nagar off consecutive deliveries in the next over which went for just 2 runs. KP took the Daredevils past the 200 mark in the last over as he completed a brilliant half-century off just 25 deliveries.

Mumbai had the worst start possible as they lost their top 3 with less than a tenth of the target scored. Adrian Blizzard departed without troubling the scorers while Tendulkar departed soon after hitting a six inside out over the covers. Rohit Sharma flicked the first ball he faced over deep square leg for a six but out caught at mid-on trying to slog Pathan. It looked curtains for Mumbai before Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik turned the heat on Delhi with beautiful strokeplay. They raced to a partnership of 96 off just 58 deliveries as Mumbai finally looked like making a match out of it. But Karthik missed a low full toss from Agarkar to lose his off stump and even as Pollard hit a few meaty blows in Agarkar’s next over, Delhi’s trump spinner Shahbaz Nadeem sealed the issue as he dismissed both Rayudu and Pollard off consecutive deliveries. It was only a matter of time after that as Mumbai finished 20 overs still 37 runs behind.

Score:

Delhi Daredevils 207/5 (20/20 ov) – V Sehwag 73 (39), M Jayawardene 55 (42), K Pietersen 50 (26), R Peterson 3-37

Mumbai Indians 170/9 (20.0/20 ov) – A Rayudu 62 (39), D Karthik 40 (28), S Nadeem 2-39

Man of the Match – V Sehwag