Mumbai Indians, the most successful franchise in IPL history with 5 titles, have always been notoriously slow starters in the tournament. Since 2012, Mumbai Indians have failed to win their opening game in the competition, and it won’t change in 2022. Delhi Capitals beat them by 4 wickets in their opening encounter after a stunning comeback led by their lower order.
It looked like Mumbai Indians had put those opening match blues to bed today after looking in control for most of the game, before being upstaged by a stunning 7th wicket partnership of 75 in 32 balls between Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel.
Reduced to 72 for 5 in the 10th over while chasing 178 to win, Delhi looked out of it before their lower order brought them back in contention in the company of Lalit Yadav. First, Shardul Thakur hit a few lusty blows to give some momentum to the innings scoring 22 off 11 balls. Then, Axar Patel joined Lalit Yadav for a rollicking partnership of 75 from just 32 balls to clinch the win for Delhi Capitals.
Earlier in the day, Ishan Kishan, the most expensive buy at this year’s mega auction, was the star of the show for Mumbai as he fully justified team management’s faith in him at the auction. Apart from smashing an unbeaten 89 off just 48 balls to power Mumbai to an imposing total of 177, Kishan also took a brilliant catch to dismiss the dangerous Prithvi Shaw.
Put into bat by Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant, Mumbai got off to a great start through Kishan and skipper Rohit Sharma before Rohit fell to Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep Yadav was the star for Delhi in the field as the Indian wrist spinner rediscovered his form and confidence to finish with 3 for 18 off his 4 overs.
However, apart from Khaleel Ahmed who took 2 for 27, Kuldeep found little support from the rest of the bowlers. Delhi, missing all their overseas bowling options in Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman, struggled to contain a rampaging Kishan.
In response, Delhi Capitals, missing David Warner at the top of the order, started well by putting on 30 without loss in the first 3 overs. However, the introduction of Murugan Ashwin changed things as he picked 2 wickets in his very first over.
Mumbai kept picking wickets regularly as Delhi batsmen looked to stay in touch with the required run rate, and has things under control. However, all that changed once Axar Patel joined Lalit and pushed Delhi to a highly unlikely win.
