Delhi Capitals beat Mumbai Indians by 37 runs

Agencies
March 25, 2019

Mumbai,  Mar 25: Rishabh Pant's utterly destructive 78 powered Delhi Capitals to a 37-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL here Sunday, giving further proof of why he should be on the World Cup-bound plane to England.

Pant got those runs in only 27 balls and while the relentless onslaught would do his confidence a world of good, Jasprit Bumrah's shoulder injury two months before the ICC showpiece left the Indian cricket fraternity on tenterhooks.

The Delhi dazzler's seven towering sixes and as many fours at a Wankhede Stadium that was made to look like a tiny ground left the Mumbai Indians bowlers, including the world's best pacer Jasprit Bumrah, traumatised and gave rechristened Delhi Capitals the fresh beginning they longed for.

Sent into bat, Delhi Capitals notched up an imposing 213 for six in the stipulated 20 overs, and buried under a pile of runs, there was not much of a riposte from the hosts, who were stopped at 176 in 19.2 overs after an injured Bumrah failed to show up with the willow. Such was the 21-year-old Pant's assault that Delhi raked in 99 runs in the last six overs.

Pant smashed the world's best fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, for a few sixes as well.

Pant, playing his natural game, mercilessly punished the Mumbai bowlers after South African Colin Ingram (47 off 32 balls, 7x4, 1x6) and Shikhar Dhawan (43 off 36 balls, 4x4; 1x6) pulled the visitors out of the rubble and laid the foundation of a big total with their 83-run stand for the third wicket.

The young wicketkeeper was brutal on Hardik Pandya, whom he hammered for two sixes and a four in the 16th over to start the destruction and then spared none. He struck two sixes and a four off debutant Rasikh Salam in the 19th over.

Pant was also brutal on death overs specialist Bumrah. Rahul Tewatia complimented the stumper with 9 not out.

Earlier, the duo of Dhawan and Ingram rallied the Delhi innings after they lost two quick wickets -- Prithvi Shaw (7) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (16) inside the first four overs - and also took the Mumbai attack to cleansers.

Ingram upped the ante in the eighth over slashing Hardik for a four and then a six.

But Ben Cutting gave Mumbai the much-needed breakthrough as he removed Ingram, who was caught by Hardik in the 13 over. Dhawan also threw his wicket away as Delhi slumped from 112 for two to 131 for four.

But then it was the Pant show.

Later, barring veteran Yuvraj Singh (53 off 35 balls; 5x4 and 3x6), who made his first appearance for Mumbai, no other batsman stood tall.

Yuvraj did roll back the years, with his fluent hitting, but his knock went in vain. Kasigo Rabada (2-23) removed Yuvraj in the 19th over to seal the victory for his team.

Chasing 214, Mumbai Indians were never in the fray. They lost skipper Rohit Sharma (14) and Suryakumar Yadav (2) early.

Quinton De Kock (27) hammered Trent Boult for two fours and a six in the third over and then found momentum in the sixth over as he hit two consecutive fours off Ishant Sharma. But Ishant (2-34) took revenge as De Kock holed to fine leg where Boult took a good catch as Mumbai slumped to 45-3.

But then West Indian Kieron Pollard (21) and Yuvraj tried to resurrect the innings with their 50-run stand. Pollard hammered Rahul Tewatia for a six and a four, while Yuvraj stuck two fours and a six in the 1oth over off Axar Patel as Mumbai amassed 20 runs.

As the two were looking good, Keemo Paul removed Pollard. Hardik Pandya (o) followed suit as Mumbai lost half the side on 95. After Krunal Pandya (32 off 15 balls) departed, Mumbai's hopes were solely pinned on Yuvraj and he could not take the side home.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 19,2020

Karachi, May 19: Babar Azam wants to take a leaf out of Imran Khan's aggressive captaincy and besides cricket, he is also brushing up his English to become a "complete leader" like the World Cup-winning all-rounder.

Last week, the star batsman took over the reins of Pakistan's white-ball cricket after being appointed as the ODI skipper.

Azam, who was one of the world's leading batsmen across formats last year and already the T20 skipper, replaced wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed as the ODI captain for the 2020-21 season.

"Imran Khan was a very aggressive captain and I want to be like him. It is not an easy job captaining the Pakistan team but I am learning from my seniors and I have also had captaincy experience since my under-19 days," Azam said.

He said that to be a complete captain one must be able to interact comfortably with the media and express oneself properly in front of an audience.

"These days I am also taking English classes besides focussing on my batting," he said on Monday.

The 25-year-old Babar said he was not satisfied with Pakistan's current standing in international cricket.

"I am not happy with where we stand and I want to see this team go up in the rankings."

Babar said captaincy would be a challenge for him but it would not affect his batting.

"It is an honour to lead one's national team so it is not a burden for me at all. In fact, after becoming captain, I have to lead by example and be more responsible in my batting."

Babar hoped the T20 World Cup is held this year in Australia as he wanted to lead his team in the ICC event.

"It would be a disappointment if the event was not held or rescheduled because I am looking forward to playing in the World Cup and doing well in it," he said.

About plans for Pakistan to fly to England in July to play three Tests and three T20 internationals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Babar said a lot of hard work and planning would be required to make the players feel comfortable and safe.

"Touring England won't be easy. Health and safety of players is of great importance and the tour will only be possible when proper arrangements are in place," he said.

"Both England and Pakistan team fans, along with the cricketers, are missing cricket because of the pandemic."

"We will still try to perform to the best of our ability despite no support from the fans in the stadium," he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
January 16,2020

New Delhi, Jan 16: Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Thursday dropped from the BCCI's list of centrally contracted players, raising fresh doubts on the future of the former India captain who has not played since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand last year.

The BCCI announced the central contracts for the period of October 2019 to September 2020. Dhoni was in the A category, which fetches a player Rs 5 crore, until last year.

Skipper Virat Kohli, his deputy Rohit Sharma and top pacer Jasprit Bumrah were retained in the highest A+ bracket of Rs 7 crore.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 4,2020

Sydney, Mar 4: Teenage Indian batting sensation Shafali Verma on Wednesday rose to the top spot in the ICC women's T20 International rankings, riding on her stellar run at the ongoing World Cup here.

The 16-year-old Verma takes over from New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who had been the top batter since October 2018 after wresting the spot from West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor.

However, Smriti Mandhana has slipped a couple of rungs to sixth in the latest list.

Verma and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone will go into the semifinals of the event as the top ranked batter and bowler respectively. India will take on England on Thursday.

Verma's explosive batting at the top of the order saw her score 161 runs in four innings, including knocks of 47 and 46 against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. It helped her become only the second India batter after Mithali Raj to top the women's T20I batting rankings, according to an ICC statement.

Ecclestone, who took eight wickets in four matches including a best of three for seven against the West Indies, is the first England bowler to be number one since Anya Shrubsole in April 2016 and the first England spinner at the top since Danni Hazell in August 2015.

Among the Indian bowlers, Poonam Yadav is up four places to eighth after a good run in World Cup.

Some valiant performances from Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu have seen her move from 18th to 14th spot for batters.

England's Nat Sciver is again in the top 10 and captain Heather Knight in the top 15 for the first time.

South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt has advanced 23 places to 44th, while Pakistan's Aliya Riaz has gained 24 places and is 48th while New Zealand's Maddy Green is in the top 100 after advancing 28 slots.

In the bowlers' list, leg-spinners Amelia Kerr of New Zealand (up two places to fourth) and Australia's George Wareham (up nine places to 10th) have made significant gains in the latest rankings update.

Other bowlers to advance include new-ball bowler Diana Baig of Pakistan (up 34 places to 13th), Shashikala Siriwardena of Sri Lanka (up seven places to 14th), Anya Shrubsole of England (up five places to 17th), Dane van Niekerk of South Africa (up 12 places to joint-22nd) and Shikha Pandey of India (up 23 places to joint-22nd).

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine is now the sole number one all-rounder after coming into the tournament as a joint number one along with Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry.

India's Deepti Sharma has advanced nine places to seventh, the first time that she is among the top 10 in the all-rounders' list after also moving up to 53rd among batters.

Australia remain at the top of the T20I team rankings with 290 points and England in second position with 278.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.