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Magnificent Mumbai seal qualification with Delhi demolition

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard

Indian Premier League leaders Mumbai Indians confirmed their play-off place in style on Saturday, recording the competition's biggest winning margin in a stunning demolition of Delhi Daredevils.

Fans at the Feroz Shah Kotla were left stunned as Delhi, whose hopes of making the top four are now extremely slim, slumped to 66 all out in reply to a mammoth total of 212-3, to lose by a humiliating margin of 146 runs.

Spinners Harbhajan Singh and Karn Sharma shared six wickets after Mumbai's seamers had dismantled the Daredevils' top order, while West Indians Lendl Simmons (66 from 43 balls) and Kieron Pollard (63 not out from 35) were chiefly responsible for such a stiff target being set.

Delhi remain sixth, five points off fourth with three games to play, while Mumbai have won nine from 11 this term.

Simmons certainly took his opportunity after being selected for the first time this season, in place of Jos Buttler.

The opener struck five fours and four sixes, a feat that was subsequently matched by Pollard, and shared 79 with Parthiv Patel (25) for the first wicket as Mumbai started strongly after being inserted.

Either side of Simmons departing to Corey Anderson, Pollard took a liking to Amit Mishra, twice crashing the leg-spinner for two maximums in an over.

Rohit Sharma fell cheaply, but Hardik Pandya (29 not out from 14 balls) took advantage of being dropped by Shreyas Iyer to thump the hugely expensive Pat Cummins (0-59) for three boundaries in a final over that went for 23.

Needing a good start in reply, Delhi instead saw Sanju Samson fall first ball to Mitchell McClenaghan.

That set the tone for the innings as the Daredevils slumped to 35-5 inside six overs, Lasith Malinga claiming two of the wickets.

Harbhajan (3-22) and Karn (3-11) took over thereafter, with only three batsmen reaching double figures in a dismal showing from the hosts.

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