IPL 2021: Top 3 bowling performances in DC vs MI matches
The two teams who battled it out in the IPL 2020 final, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI), will come face-to-face in the 13th match of IPL 2021 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai tonight.
MI got the better of DC all four times when the sides met last year, and quite comprehensively at that - twice during the league stage and then in Qualifier 1, followed by the final.
Coming back to the current season, both MI and DC have featured in three games so far and have garnered four points each, with two wins and a loss.
After going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a last-ball thriller, MI recovered to scuttle challenges by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
As for DC, they made a confident start, defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by seven wickets. After a shock loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR), they then recovered to get the better of Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six wickets.
If we look at the head-to-head numbers, MI have a 16-12 lead over DC after 28 meetings. MI bowlers have been dominant over DC in the IPL and this reflects in the top bowling performances in DC vs. MI games.
#3 Trent Boult (MI) 3 for 30 - IPL 2020 Final (in Dubai)
Trent Boult has been among the top performers with the ball for MI over the last couple of seasons. In the last two games for MI this year, too, he has played a crucial role in dismantling the tail.
The left-arm seamer was brilliant for MI in the IPL final against DC in Dubai last year. Boult got MI off to the perfect start, sending back Marcus Stoinis caught behind with the first ball of the match. The DC opener was flummoxed by a rising delivery outside off as MI got the early momentum in the final.
Boult then had Ajinkya Rahane (2) caught down the leg side off a thin edge. His third wicket came when Shimron Hetmyer (5) steered a slower short ball straight to short third man. Boult finished with impressive figures of 3 for 30 as MI held DC to 156 for 7.
MI skipper Rohit Sharma guided the chase with a well-compiled 68, while Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 33 from 19. MI lifted their fifth IPL title and second in a row with a composed five-wicket triumph.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah (MI) 4 for 14 - IPL 2020 Qualifier 1 (in Dubai)
Although DC were dominant over most other sides in IPL 2020, they just could not stand up to the MI bowlers. An emphatic illustration of the same came during Qualifier 1 between the two teams in Dubai.
Chasing 201 for a victory, DC were blown away by Jasprit Bumrah’s spectacular effort of 4 for 14 and only managed to crawl to 143 for 8 in their response. This was the same match in which Bumrah trapped Shikhar Dhawan with an unplayable yorker. The ball pitched near the batsman’s toe at searing pace and beat the bat to crash into the stumps.
Dhawan’s wicket reduced DC to 0 for 3 as Trent Boult handed ducks to Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane at the other end. Bumrah also claimed DC skipper Shreyas Iyer (12) with a wide-length delivery that was hit to short cover.
Marcus Stoinis (65) was the only batsman to stand up to MI’s bowling might. He, too, eventually fell to Bumrah’s guile as a quick-length ball nipped back and took out the middle stump. The MI pacer had his fourth when Daniel Sams was caught behind off a bouncer.
MI’s total of 200 for 5 was built around the half-centuries of Suryakumar Yadav (51), Ishan Kishan (55 not out) and a blistering cameo from Hardik Pandya (37 not out off 14). After that, it was time for the Bumrah-Boult show.
#1 Lasith Malinga (MI) 5 for 13 - IPL 2011 (in Delhi)
Lasith Malinga bowled a number of destructive spells during a legendary IPL career for MI. One of his most extraordinary performances came against DC during IPL 2011 when he ran through their batting line-up with figures of 5 for 13.
After DC won the toss and decided to bat first, Malinga got MI off to the perfect start, getting his yorker dead on target to clean up David Warner (1). In the same over, a clueless Unmukt Chand (0) was bowled by a fast length delivery.
Malinga had his third when Venugopal Rao (26) inside-edged a swinging low ball onto the stumps. Morne Morkel (0) was done in by the MI legend’s toe-crushing yorker, who had his fifth when Ashok Dinda lobbed a catch to mid-off.
It was carnage as DC were rolled over for 95 in 17.4 overs. MI eased to victory by eight wickets in 16.5 overs. Sachin Tendulkar helped himself to an unbeaten 46 while future MI skipper Rohit Sharma was with him at the other end, undefeated on 27.