This has been an unusual year for every person on this planet but that doesn’t mean it will have any bearing on champions for whom winning is a habit irrespective of how mounting the task is. And like Rafael Nadal did it at the French Open earlier this year, the mighty Mumbai Indians just showed why they are the best team in the IPL 2020 as they defeated Delhi Capitals in Dubai to lift the unprecedented fifth title.
Following some sublime bowling display by Trent Boult (3/30), who uprooted the Delhi top-order once again to restrict DC at 156/7, Rohit Sharma made a mockery of the pressure of chasing in the final with some exquisite stroke-making in the second innings in his 55-ball 80 to charge MI to a comfortable five-wicket win.Chasing the total, Quinton de Kock and Rohit ensured runs flowed at a canter in the powerplay to have that psychological edge over Delhi Capitals going. The duo sprayed three sixes and four boundaries in the first four overs to quickly put 45 runs on the board; forcing DC captain Shreyas Iyer to use his fourth bowler inside the fielding restrictions in Marcus Stoinis.
The Aussie all-rounder, who fell for a golden duck earlier, strike immediately by getting de Kock (20 off 12) caught behind to give the Capitals the much-needed impetus.
This turn out to be a mere impediment in MI’s chase with Rohit carrying on the good work with Suryakumar Yadav for a second-wicket stand of 45 to keep DC off the game.
Some luck did came DC’s way with a mix-up in running between the wicket as SKY (19 off 20) decided to sacrifice his wicket in the 11th over.
However, with Rohit still at the crease meant it was MI’s game to lose. The skipper went on to score his third fifty of the IPL to renounce his form ahead of the Australia tour. DC earned some consolations in Rohit (68 off 51) in the 17th over with the match being out of their grasp.
Ishan Kishan (33 off 21) and Hardik Pandya (4 off 5) remained at the crease till the end as MI reached the target with 9 balls to spare.
Earlier in the first innings, captain Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 65 took Delhi Capitals (DC) to 156/6 wickets in 20 overs after another top-order failure against MI.
After losing their first three wickets within the first six overs, DC were brought back into the game with a 96-run stand between Iyer and Rishabh Pant (56) for the fourth wicket.
The partnership between Iyer and Pant was broken in the 15th over by Nathan Coulter-Nile after which Shimron Hetymer fell to Boult. Coulter-Nile then got the wicket of Axar Patel.
DC lost the in-form Marcus Stoinis off the very first ball of the match to fast bowler Trent Boult. Boult went on to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane while Shikhar Dhawan fell to Jayant Yadav, who was brought into the team in place of Rahul Chahar.
Boult was the highest wicket-taker for MI with three scalps while Coulter-Nile and Yadav got two and one respectively. Jasprit Bumrah finished wicketless.