The Delhi Daredevils made it three wins in a row as they held onto a 10-run victory over the Mumbai Indians in Delhi yesterday.
The Daredevils became just the second team of the season to successfully defend a total, after the Royal Challengers Bangalore did it twice before.
The hosts decided to include Imran Tahir for the first time this season, but while it’s Quinton de Kock who’s starred for the side so far this season, it was JP Duminy who found some form yesterday with a well-played unbeaten 49, allowing his side to post a competitive 164-4.
Mumbai Indians won the toss and chose to have a bowl first, knowing that only two matches had been won defending, and they drew first blood by seeing off Delhi’s batting mainstay De Kock for just nine.
Sanju Samson took the responsibility of putting on the runs in the middle overs, and put on a 37-run stand with Shreyas Iyer, before smacking a 71-run stand with Duminy.
The latter hit two sixes and three fours in his innings and was particularly effective at the death.
When Mumbai batted, the Daredevils struck in the second over as Iyer and De Kock combined to run out the out-of-form Parthiv Patel for one, to immediately put pressure on Mumbai’s chase.
Skipper Rohit Sharma was determined to stick around and put on some useful partnerships with Ambati Rayudu (25) and Krunal Pandya (36), but once they fell after good starts, Sharma began to run out of partners as the required run rate escalated.
Mumbai still had a chance when the equation was 42 off 18 with Kieron Pollard on 8 and Rohit Sharma on 50. But Chris Morris, coming back for his third spell, conceded 10 runs in the 18th over and Zaheer followed it with the wicket of Pollard to push Daredevils ahead.
Morris was left to defend 21 off the last over. Hardik Pandya slapped the first ball to long-off and Rohit gave Mumbai hope by clouting the second ball for a six. A ball later, Rohit collided with Hardik Pandya near the middle of the pitch and was run out. Morris trapped Harbhajan Singh lbw the next ball and consigned Mumbai to their fourth loss in six matches.
Brief scores
Delhi Daredevils 164 for 4 (S Samson 60, JP Duminy 49*; McClenaghan 2-31) beat Mumbai Indians 154 for 7 (Rohit Sharma 65, K Pandya 36; Amit Mishra 2-24) by 10 runs