IPL 2020, Qualifier 1, MI vs DC as it happened: Bumrah’s brilliance puts Mumbai in sixth IPL final

11.35 pm: Only one place to close this blog with tonight. The purple-cap holder Bumrah, with a sensational yorker. Thanks for joining us.

Watch: Jasprit Bumrah’s sensational yorker to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan in Qualifer 1 against Delhi

Shreyas Iyer (via iplt20.com):

“Very tough. I don’t want to talk anything negative about the side, but going forward we have to make sure we come out with a solid mindset. We were on top of the game especially in that phase when we got two wickets, and they were 110 for in 13 or 14 overs. That is when we should have capitalised more. We could have chased 170 on this wicket. It is part and parcel of the game. Every night can’t be yours. We just talk about the opportunities we have. It is not easy to be in the bubble and follow the same routine every day. The practice we have put in, the hard work, it is really tremendous. Ashwin was brilliant. He is always there, offering something for the team. He plays with the batsmen’s minds. Great to have his inputs as a captain. All the batsmen in their team are in great touch, especially when Hardik and Pollard come down the order, and their top-order batsmen have full freedom and are in great form. So it is not easy to control them.”  

Ashish Magotra, our sports editor, with the line of the night: Well, one can call 2020 an odd year, right?

Mumbai Indians:

IPL 2010: Lost in the final.
IPL 2013: Champions
IPL 2015: Champions
IPL 2017: Champions
IPL 2019: Champions
IPL 2020: ??

Kieron Pollard picked up the wicket of Axar Patel in the final over. Rahul Chahar with a juggling catch. Just a sensational all-round effort from MI.

It’s all over: Mumbai Indians are in yet another IPL final. A 57-run win over Delhi Capitals. Title No 5 is now one win away!

After 19 overs, DC 129/7: Axar is still doing his bit to reduce the quantum of defeat. A six in NCN’s over.

After 4 overs of sheer brilliance, Jasprit Bumrah finishes with his best figures of 4/13! DC 118/7 after 18 overs.

DOUBLE-WICKET MAIDEN! Is there a superlative left to describe Jasprit Bumrah? A brilliant over to reestablish #MI’s dominance of this match. Sams is caught behind.

WICKET! WOWWW. DC suddenly threatening to show some fight, MI are unlikely to be without Boults and so, Rohit turns to Bumrah. And what does Bumrah do? Timber!

After 15 overs, DC 112/5: SIX-DOT-SIX! Well, well, well. Two massive hits from the bat of Axar Patel as he takes on Kieron Pollard. “He’s been given a taste of his own medicine there,” says Mbangwa. Big over for DC. They are just about staying alive here. And MI are unlikely to have Boult at the death.

Are we in for a late twist?

Are we in for a late twist?

After 14 overs, DC 97/5: A good over from NCN. Incidentally, DC not that far away from where MI were at this stage (108/4).

Update: The broadcasters inform Trent Boult has been off the field for MI with a groin issue. That’s not good news for the defending champions. Details awaited.

After 13 overs, DC 91/5: Not Rahul Chahar’s day. Stoinis once again goes hard after the legspinner. A six and two overs, 16 runs off it.

FIFTY FOR MARCUS STOINIS! Half century off just 36 balls for Marcus Stoinis. In a forgettable batting display by Delhi so far, he has been the lone bright spot. DC 75/5 after 12 overs.

After 11 overs, DC 68/5: Just 7 runs from the two overs after that big one by Chahar. Krunal and Pollard showing MI can bowl defensively well too when needed. Solid.

After 9 overs, DC 61/5: 1-4-6-1-1-6. Stoinis hits two sixes and a four in Chahar’s first over. What brilliant batting by the Australian, he’s not giving up without a fight. The first six was 97 m long.

Over 7.5: WICKET! Rishabh Pant’s average form continues. Finds the fielder at long on and it’s Krunal Pandya with the wicket. DC five down.

After 7 overs, DC 36/4: Kieron Pollard with a steady 4-run over and it’s a timeout that we all could use. Phew. What a start for MI.

Trent Boult’s dream first over:

The Bumrah yorker:

After 6 overs, DC 32/4: Stoinis picks up a slower ball from NCN and helps himself to a four to end the DC powerplay. Seven runs off it.

After 5 overs, DC 25/4: Dropped catch? Has to be. Hardik mistimes his leap at mid-on and lets one through his arms. Life for Stoinis. Krunal has a catch dropped by Hardik not for the first time in this tournament.

Pant has joined Stoinis in the middle

After 4 overs, DC 20/4: Bumrah was hit for a brilliant cover drive once, and he came back with Iyer’s wicket. Two overs each for the star pacers, two wickets each.

Over 3.5: WICKET! That’s unlucky for Iyer, it must be said. Absolutely middled that cover drive, but it flew straight to Mumbai skipper Rohit. The Delhi captain is out for 12 off 8, DC down to 20/4.

After 3 overs, DC 15/3: Nine from the Boult over this time around as Shreyas Iyer hits a couple of boundaries, one either side of the wicket. DC really don’t have to hold themselves back at the moment, despite the scoreline. No NRR worries, second chance guaranteed. Can just keep going for it.

After 2 overs, DC 6/3: Stoinis hits the first runs off the bat in this innings off the penultimate ball of the second over.

Over 1.2: BOOM, BOOM! A sensational yorker from Jasprit Bumrah to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan. What a ball to bowl in your first over. Goodness. DC: ZERO FOR THREE!

After 1 over, DC 0/2: Trent Boult starts off with a double-wicket maiden.

0.5: WICKET! Rahane is out third ball. A brilliant swinging delivery. Boult on fire.

0.2: WICKET! Trent Boult, like he does, strikes early. Prithvi Shaw’s poor form continues. His last 8 innings: 19, 4, 0, 0, 7, 10, 9, 0 (today)

Boult to start off...

Innings break: 78/1 in the last 5 overs.

  Ishan Kishan: 55 (30 balls, 3 sixes) 

 Hardik Pandya: 37 (14 balls, 5 sixes) 

 Partnership: 60 runs off 23 balls.  

End of 20 overs: 200/5

19.6: ISHAN-SIX-KISHAN! Scores his half century, takes his side to the 200-mark. That is some way to finish the innings!

19.4: SIX! Geez, what hitting. Over long-off this time. Hardik on song.

19.3: SIX! Back in the crease, slammed over long on. Hardik Pandya, wow.

After 19 overs, MI 180/5: Rabada’s tournament has really been one of two halves it seems. 0/42 for him tonight as Hardik starts the 19th over with two sixes and Ishan hits a four later through mid-off.

17.1: Sams to Hardik, SIX! 

17.6: Sams to Ishan, SIX!   

18.1: Rabada to Hardik, SIX! 

18.2: Rabada to Hardik, SIX!   

After 18 overs, MI are 162/5: The over starts and ends with a six for MI. Brilliant death batting from MI again as Sams is hit for a six by Hardik and then Ishan. First over leg side and the last, down the ground.

After 17 overs, MI are 145/5: DC will be delighted with that Stoinis over. Could have gone for plenty, but instead just one wicket and five runs.

Over 16.1: WICKET! Stoinis comes on to bowl for the first time and takes a wicket off his first ball. Krunal finding Sams in the deep on the offside. One Pandya replaces another.

Stat: With that sensational hit off Rabada, Ishan Kishan now has hit the most sixes of IPL 2020 (27). A man who was not in MI’s first XI. What a season he is having.

After 16 overs, MI are 140/4 (Kishan 33, Krunal 13): Now Krunal’s turn to hit a brilliant six off a SA pacer. Nortje leaks 18 in that over and MI have flicked a switch it seems. Ishan finishes that over with a four.

After 15 overs, MI are 122/4 (Kishan 22, Krunal 6)
What a shot! Ishan Kishan mistimes one for four and then absolutely thumps one for six. The left-hander has timed the ball wonderfully right through the season. 14 runs come from that Kagiso Rabada over.

After 14 overs, MI are 108/4 (Kishan 10, Krunal 4)
Another good over for DC, just five from it. Good, tight line by Sams to the two left-handers. Time for a strategic timeout. MI would want to go past 170 at least.

After 13 overs, MI are 103/4 (Kishan 8, Krunal 1)
What a superb spell from R Ashwin! He got the key wickets of Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard to finish with figures of 3/29 in his four overs.

After 12.2 overs, MI are 101/4 – Pollard is gone!
OUT! Kieron Pollard is gone for a duck! The right-hander mistimes it straight to long-on. That’s a huge blow for MI. R Ashwin is delivering in a big game for DC. The off-spinner gets his third wicket.

After 11.5 overs, MI are 100/3 – Surya is gone!
FIFTY & OUT! Suryakumar Yadav gets a half-century but then pulls one from Anrich Nortje straight to the fielder. That’s a big wicket for DC, Surya was looking dangerous. He departs for 51 off 38. Kieron Pollard is the new batsman.

After 11 overs, 96/2 (Surya 47, Ishan 6): Rabada brought back into the attack perhaps in hope of a breakthrough but he produces a good over nonetheless. Just three off it. DC have applied the choke in the last two-three overs. Will it pay off?

After 10 overs, 93/2 (Surya 45, Ishan 5): Axar with a tidy enough over. Delhi won’t mind a 7-run over at this point but will be wary of what’s to come from MI.

After 9 overs, 86/2 (Surya 42, Ishan 1): MI coach Jayawardena during the mid-match interview: “Ashwin is hovering around. Don’t want to give more to him.” Good over from Sams, meanwhile.

After 8 overs, 79/2: SKY and Ishan, the two in-form batsmen for MI in the middle.

Over 7.4, WICKET! Ashwin strikes again. He loves bowling against left-handers. This is looped up enough to tempt QdK, but dips on him and he’s not got to the pitch of the ball. Dhawan with the catch at long off, and produces the trademark celebrations. DC needed that.

After 7 overs, Mumbai Indians 71/1 (Qdk 40, Surya 28) Delhi lose the review against Qdk in that over, appealing for a caught behind. SKY then hits a superb shot for four too.

Best powerplay score for MI in this edition. What a time to do that.

After 6 overs, Mumbai Indians 63/1 (Qdk 38, Surya 22): Brilliant powerplay! SIX-DOT-FOUR! Suryakumar is shining again, folks. That six off Ashwin was a delight to watch. A brilliant powerlay for #MI despite losing Rohit Sharma for a golden duck

After 5 overs, Mumbai Indians 52/1 (Qdk 37, Surya 12): A big appeal for caught behind against Suryakumar but replays show not even close to a edge on the the pull shot off the bouncer. The MI No 3 gets going with back-to-back boundaries in that over.

After 4 overs, Mumbai Indians 43/1 (Qdk 36, Surya 4): 12 runs off Axar Patel’s first over as Qdk keeps powering ahead. Hits the first six of the night, dancing down the ground and lofting Axar over long on. Interesting call from Iyer to bring on Axar with QdK in this form.

After 3 overs, Mumbai Indians 31/1 (Qdk 26, Surya 2): A good battle between Rabada and QdK. The pacer unlucky to be called for a wide for a good bouncer. Too harsh. A slower ball hit behind square for four later in the over. The opener is on song.

Qdk vs Rabada now...

After 2 overs, Mumbai Indians 22/0 (Qdk 21, Surya 1): QdK finishes that Ashwin over with a lovely four through offside.

Over 1.3: WICKET! A first-ball duck for MI captain Rohit Sharma. Ashwin strikes in the second over of the innings. Trapped in front, not reviewed. Replay shows it was just clipping the stumps. Mi would have regretted that almost. What a dramatic start to this game.

After 1 over, Mumbai Indians 15/0 (Qdk 15, Rohit 0): WHAT A START! 4-2-0-4-4-1. Welcome to the IPL playoffs, Daniel Sams. Quinton de Kock gets going with some sensational shots. Two great straight drives in the first over, treat to watch. Retains strike too. Qdk is in the mood.

Here we go! QdK to face Daniel Sams and the first ball is a stunning straight drive for four.

7.28 pm: Another final for Mumbai or first one ever for Delhi?

7.25 pm: In some sense, Delhi can play with the freedom of knowing not many are giving them a chance tonight against the MI juggernaut. This is not a knockout either. Will that free their batsmen up?

7.23 pm: Avg first innings total is 171 in Dubai. On this particular pitch it is down to 161. (via Star Sports)

7.17 pm: Here’s how the teams fared when they faced each other at IPL 2020. (Mumbai won both.)

Match 1: Delhi batted first and posted a sub-par total of 162/4, with Shikhar Dhawan scoring an unbeaten 69 off 52. In reply, Mumbai rode on half-centuries from Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav to win the match comfortably  

Match 2: Delhi  managed just 110/9 in their 20 overs. The defending champions then rode on an unbeaten 47-ball 72 by opener Ishan Kishan to win by nine wickets  

7.09 pm: Playing XIs
MI: Rohit Sharma (c), Quinton de Kock (w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah.
DC: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (w), Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.

7.04 pm: Mumbai Indians have made three changes, expectedly: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya replace James Pattinson, Dhawal Kulkarni and Saurabh Tiwary.

7.02 pm: TOSS – Shreyas Iyer has won the toss and Delhi Capitals will BOWL first! “Personally I’m very motivated and the energy in the group is great,” says Iyer. DC are playing with an unchanged XI.

6.55 pm: Pitch report by Simon Doull and Pommie Mbangwa – “The surface looks fantastic. It has got a little bit of grass on it which should offer a bit of pace and bounce. Will aid batting when the dew sets in later. In the last 26 games, 20 times teams batting second have won. Sides batting first are tentative and that’s the biggest issue.”

6.51 pm: Here are three key battles to look forward to in tonight’s game:

Nortje, Ashwin vs MI top order
Anrich Nortje and Ravichandran Ashwin have taken the new ball consistently for Delhi Capitals and applied great pressure on opponents with their consistency. But in the all-important clash against MI on Thursday, the duo will face a stern. Mumbai’s top order batsmen – Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav have all got runs this season and are proven match-winners. Delhi will be in trouble if they don’t get wickets with the new ball.

Bumrah, Boult vs DC top order
Similarly for the Capitals, their top order is crucial for them. Shikhar Dhawan has been in remarkable form, Ajinkya Rahane showed his class in the last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and skipper Shreyas Iyer has immense potential too. MI have opened the bowling with Trent Boult, who has made several key contributions through the season, but the defending champions may be tempted to start with Jasprit Bumrah from the other end. The right-arm quick is the spearhead of the attack and can put his team on top with early strikes.

Rabada vs Pollard, Hardik
This has to be one of those most exciting match-ups in the IPL. Kagiso Rabada is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. The South African has shown he’s a cut above the rest by using his pace, skill and accuracy to lead Delhi’s charge. But in Dubai on Thursday, he will be up against perhaps the most dangerous lower-order duo in the IPL. Rabada is usually reserved for the death overs and his clash with Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya has the makings of a blockbuster. Delhi will be at a huge advantage if Rabada comes out on top in this battle.

6.44 pm: Rohit Sharma missed a good chunk of this season due to a left hamstring injury. Although he made a comeback in MI’s last match, it has to be said that the communication regarding the star batsman’s injury left a lot to be desired. Read more about that here:
The mess that is Rohit Sharma’s injury: From MI to Ganguly and BCCI, miscommunication reigns supreme

6.33 pm: After a strong start, Delhi Capitals took the scenic route to the playoffs. Can they pull off an upset tonight? Check out their road to the playoffs here.

6.31 pm: IPL title No 5 beckons for Mumbai Indians. Can anyone stop them? Check out their road to the playoffs here.

6.20 pm: Hello everyone and welcome to live coverage of match No 57 of Indian Premier League 2020!

The playoffs begin tonight with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium. Rohit Sharma and Co have beaten Shreyas Iyer’s men both times so far this season and Delhi will be keen to get one back in the all-important clash.