Paceman Jasprit Bumrah yesterday moved to the top of the bowling chart in the Indian Premier League as Mumbai Indians inflicted another blow to Delhi Capitals’ dwindling campaign with a nine-wicket win.
Bumrah and fellow fast bowler Trent Boult claimed three wickets each to restrict Delhi to 110 for nine, a total table-toppers Mumbai achieved in 14.2 overs in Dubai.
Ishan Kishan smashed an unbeaten 72 off 47 balls to be named man of the match as Mumbai, who have already qualified for the play-offs, ensured a top-two finish in the league stage.
Third-placed Delhi are struggling to stay in the final four after their fourth straight loss.
Mumbai’s stand-in-skipper Kieron Pollard praised his fast bowlers for the big win.
“Boult was exceptional. That’s his strength, bowling with the new ball. He’s consistently given us good starts,” said Pollard.
“Bumrah, I kept delaying him, on this track with his angles. He’s jumping to bowl in the powerplays, but again I saw today getting those early wickets, and with the spinners getting grip, kept him for the middle overs.”
Bumrah, who came into bowl second change, returned figures of 3-17 to go level with Delhi quick Kagiso Rabada on 23 wickets in the Twenty20 tournament but the Indian bowler has a better average and economy rate.
Boult led the bowling charge with figures of 3-21 including the key wicket of in-form Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan for nought off the third ball of the innings.
Kishan took on the Delhi bowling including South African pacemen Rabada and Anrich Nortje. The left-hand batsman hit eight fours and three sixes.
“It wasn’t as easy as it looked. In the first few overs it wasn’t coming on. I was just playing according to the ball and waiting for the loose balls. (The strength) credit goes to my mom for the food,” said Ishan Kishan:
:I was just working on keeping my shape when I tried to slog, and I think helped. I worked really hard on these shots. My coach said teams will come up with plans against you, because you don’t hit that much through the off side. This time I’ve been playing more, as you know my strength is on the leg side. There’s always banter when Pant is keeping and when I’m keeping. It was fun, he was saying something as he always does.”
Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer still hopes for the best in his team’s final league game on Monday against Royal Challengers Bangalore who play Sunrisers Hyderabad later in the evening.
“We’ll have to be fearless and keep things simple. It’s an important game for us, do-or-die depending on how they play today,” said Iyer. “Not thinking much about the future, trying to stay in the present.”

BRIEF SCORES
Delhi Capitals 110 for 9 (Iyer 25, Pant 21, Bumrah 3-17, Boult 3-21) lost to Mumbai Indians 111 for 1 (Kishan 72*, Nortje 1-25) beat by nine wickets.

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