IPL 2021, MI vs RR as it happened: Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 70 takes Mumbai home in run-chase

Follow DC vs KKR live here where DC have opted to bowl first against Morgan and Co.

Here’s how the points table looks after MI’s win.

Well how about that:

Match no 23: SRH 171/3 in 20 overs, CSK chase down with 7 wickets and 9 balls to spare.

Match no 24: RR 171/4 in 20 overs, MI chase down with 7 wickets and 9 balls to spare.

Mumbai Indians win by 7 wickets: A boundary each for QdK and Pollard in the 19th over and MI close the chase out with 9 balls to spare.

After 18 overs, MI 163/3: RR needed more from Morris in that over to even stand a chance. Not to be. 4-0-33-2, he finishes with.

UPDATE FROM SACHIN TENDULKAR:

Over 18.3: Six.... four.... and a four off the helmet! After 10 runs off 2 balls to start the 18th over, Pollard ducks to a bouncer and gets hit by Morris’ delivery. But it goes through for a four. MI have all but closed the chase out. Mandatory checks for Pollard but he is in good spirits. Was waving that one towards fine leg for four.

MI 147/3 after 17 overs.: The Fizz breaks the partnership as Krunal Pandya drags a full length ball on to the stumps. But the MI allrounder has played a really good hand for his side at No 4. 23 needed off 18 balls.

Over 16.4: WICKET! There’s a breakthrough. Krunal is livid with himself, this was not quite a yorker from Fizz. In the slot but moving back in a tad bit, inside edge and bowled. He wanted to finish this chase for MI, disappointed to get out clearly. Out for 39 (26 balls). MI 146/3.

After 16 overs, MI 140/2: Another over that starts with a boundary for MI. Superb shot by Krunal to take a yorker and place it behind square leg. Great hands. Nine runs from the Morris over.

Fifty partnership: QdK and Krunal Pandya have added 52 off 37 balls and MI are on their way to chase this down. RR need wickets. A few of them.

After 15 overs, MI 131/2: One over too many for Tewatia? It was always going to be a gamble against the lefthanders. Krunal picks up a googly early and lofts one down the ground for six first ball. And just like that, a largely risk-free 12-run over after that six.

Tewatia on after the timeout...

After 14 overs, MI 119/2: Eventful over that. A superb back of the hand slower ball by Sakariya has deceived QdK, but the skied mishit is dropped by Jaiswal, running back from short cover. Tough chance, he did well to get there but could not hold on. Superb fielding next ball by Miller to prevent a boundary and keep it to one. Getting interesting, this chase.

After 13 overs, MI 112/2: Good over by Tewatia, despite bowling against his match-up to left-handers. RR won’t mind that. Finely poised at the moment, this run-chase.

After 12 overs, MI 106/2 (12): 19 runs in the last 2 overs as MI up the rate to keep the required rate in check. Krunal with a four off Unadkat who finishes with 4-0-33-0. Need 66 off 48 balls.

HALF CENTURY: A 15th IPL fifty for de Kock and a welcome return to form for MI. First 50-plus score of this season and it’s come off 35 balls.

After 10 overs, MI 87/2: A promotion for Krunal Pandya is Ishan’s absence today. If he can click at No 4, MI’s batting should have enough depth here. 2-0-12-2 for Morris.

Over 9.2: WICKET! Another innings that promised so much but is not quite as substantial as MI would have liked. SKY is out for a 10-ball 16. Morris strikes. Soft dismissal, he just hit a flick straight to midwicket. MI 83/2.

After 9 overs, MI 83/1: De Kock moves to 47 off 29 balls. It’s a happy return to Delhi for him! A couple of boundaries in that Unadkat over for the SA batter.

After 8 overs, MI 71/1: Qdk too continues to find the boundaries to keep the run-chase on track for MI. A four early in the over bowled by Mustafizur.

After 7 overs, MI 63/1: The SKY inside-out cover drive is a joy to behold. Two boundaries in that Tewatia over and he is up and running in no time.

JUST IN:

Over 5.6: WICKET! Last ball of the powerplay, Rohit Sharma is dismissed as he hits a full ball straight to mid-on. The MI captain never quite got going. Chris Morris with the wicket. MI: 49/1 (6 overs)

After 5 overs, MI 36/0: ROHIT SHARMA SIGNATURE SHOT! Short ball by Unadkat, pounced on by the MI captain. Over midwicket. He loves that shot.

After 4 overs, MI 27/0: Twenty runs in the last couple of overs for MI as Qdk finds some momentum at his old home venue while Rohit tries to get settled against this barrage of left arm seam. A four and six for QdK to start the Fizz’s over.

After 2 overs, MI 7/0: Unadkat with another tight over. A runout chance in that over (would have been another addition to the bigwicketlostduetoquicksingles category this year) as Tewatia missed a direct hit from point. Not even close to getting back to the crease.

After 1 over, MI 4/0: A tidy first over from Chetan Sakariya. Rohit does have his issues against left-arm pacers. RR have a few of those. An interesting powerplay on the cards.

End of innings: We said much-like-SRH. But, hey it is pretty much exactly like SRH. CSK made the run-chase look like a walk in the park. Buttler just said they thought 180 was a minimum on this track.

SRH in Delhi in match No 23: 171/3

RR in Delhi in match No 24: 171/4

After 20 overs, RR 171/4: Much like SRH last night, it feels like a below par batting performance while setting a target by Royals. MI, thanks to Bumrah, finished brilliantly.

Coulter Nile with the last over...

Over 18.5: WICKET! A low full toss by Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube cannot put it away. Out for 35 off 31 balls. A bit of a bizarre innings that. But more sensational bowling by Bumrah.

After 18 overs, 155/3: A much-needed six for Dube. It’s been all or nothing from him so far. Moves on to 34 off 28, with 2 fours and 2 sixes. So that’s 14 runs from the remaining 24 balls, not accounting for the boundaries.

Over 17.4: WICKET! A superb yorker by Trent Boult and it’s the end of Sanju Samson’s innings. Out for 42 off 27 balls. RR 148/3.

After 17 overs, RR 145/2: What an over by Bumrah. Just five runs in the 17th over. Mostly nails his yorkers and has the fields set for it.

Fifty partnership between Samson and Dube off 41 balls. It was slow going, a bit hit-and-miss, but they have changed gears in the last couple of overs.

After 16 overs, RR 140/2: Another good over for Royals. Samson with a couple of boundaries, one down the ground and one behind the wickets, as Boult’s third over goes for 14.

Formidable hitters to come, RR need to go big from here.

After 15 overs, RR 126/2: Oh, a brutal hit for six by Dube in that Jayant Yadav over. Flat, yet well into the stands over midwicket. Some hit, that. Good over for Royals.

Correction: After 14 overs, RR 113/2: Timeout taken.

After 14 overs, RR 113/2: A good spell by Chahar 2/33 after 4 overs. Samson went after one delivery but miscued, seems to be searching for his timing here after a good start. MI will be delighted with the return of their main spinner who has been in good wicket-taking form in the IPL this season.

After 13 overs, RR 109/2: A stand-and-deliver shot by Dube for another boundary moments after Boult seemed to have misjudged a catching opportunity at long on off NCN’s bowling.

After 12 overs, RR 100/2: Finally, Dube gets going. A pull through midwicket off Chahar. RR can’t afford to lose momentum here. They would have seen last night, 170 was made to look easy.

After 11 overs, RR 92/2: Good over by NCN, just a single from it. Dube is in at No 4 and he is on 0 off 6 at the moment.

After 10 overs, RR 91/2: Chahar has gone for runs but taken both wickets. MI would be delighted with that.

Over 9.5: SIX-DOT-OUT! Once again Rahul Chahar bounces back after getting hit for a six. A 20-ball 32 by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played a good hand at the top of the order for RR. He’s out caught and bowled. An angry celebration by Chahar, who got a leading edge from the LHB. 91/2.

After 9 overs, RR 83/1: Samson got off the mark with a four against Chahar and hits Krunal for another over in the next over. Good start by the RR captain, who has a good base to build on.

Over 7.4: SIX AND OUT! Jos Buttler was starting to look like he was in the mood for a big score but after hitting Chahar for a six over square, he is beaten by one turn that turns away from him as he walked down the ground. He is stumped. Brilliant from the spinner. 66/1.

After 7 overs, RR 58/0: Unlike Warner yesterday, Buttler has found his groove after a struggling early. Another six in that Jayant over. Pulled over midwicket.

Well, more than just a rarity to go an entire powerplay without losing a wicket for RR.

After 6 overs, RR 47/0: First Buttler, then Jaiswal... RR’s openers have started to up the rate. NCN comes on, a four is followed by a superb pickup shot by Jaiswal for six. A powerplay without losing a wicket is a rarity for Royals these days. That’s a solid platform.

First 4 overs: 20 runs

Next 2 overs: 27 runs

After 5 overs, RR 33/0: After Pollard missed a direct hit, it is now Chahar who has dropped a catch... Jayant Yadav cannot believe it. Catches over the shoulder while running backwards are not easy but that had to be taken. And since then, a four and six for the Englishman. MI might rue not taking their chances.

After 4 overs, RR 20/0: BIG CHANCE! The brilliance of Bumrah. Starts the over with three dot balls, fourth ball there is a false shot by Buttler. The inside edge onto the pad loops up but falls short of Bumrah. And off the fifth ball, a non-existent run! Pollard misses the direct hit from very close range. Buttler had given up. All from the pressure built by Bumrah.

Two overs for Bumrah in the powerplay... the Buttler impact! (And having NCN helps too).

After 3 overs, RR 19/0: Jaiswal plays a good pull shot off Boult for his first boundary. No swing on offer in that over, as Boult shortened his length.

After 2 overs, RR 11/0: Bumrah is in nice and early because MI want to target this Royals top ordeer. A streaky four for Buttler as he is squared up by a brilliant delivery. Jaiswal gets off the mark with an outside edge too. Definite early help for seamers.

We were told at the pitch report that the track was watered a little while earlier before the match because of the heat, so there should be some help for bowlers early on.

After 1 over, RR 5/0: That’s a good first over from Boult after starting with one on Buttler’s pads that was glanced fine for four. The Kiwi pacer getting nice early shape back into Buttler and troubling him.

All set for action. Boult to Buttler. MI and RR have a 11-11 overall head-to-head record. But against the teams that have been part of IPL for the longest time, MI’s record H2H is the worst against RR. Can Rohit Sharma and Co return to winning ways?

Playing XIs:

MI: Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult

RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, David Miller, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Jaydev Unadkat, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman

STAT: Mumbai Indians have a poor record against Rajasthan Royals in recent times. The overall head-to-head is at 11-11 but MI have lost five of the last six matches between the sides since 2018.

Update from Royals:

Team news:

TOSS: Rohit Sharma wins the toss and opts to field first. “Looks a good pitch, better than Chennai for sure,” reckons the MI captain with a smile on his face. Ishan Kishan dropped it would seem, Nathan Coulter Nile comes in.

Pre-match:

MI are coming into the match after suffering back-to-back losses, the last one being a nine-wicket defeat against Punjab Kings in Chennai and need to start the Delhi leg afresh.

The Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan have lost thrice in the tournament so far and will seek to build on the six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous match.

IPL 2021: From Pollard to Kishan, Mumbai Indians will hope to leave batting woes behind in Chennai

Let them eat runs: The grotesque spectacle of IPL matches in a Delhi devastated by Covid-19

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Indian Premier League.

The 2021 season, being played in neutral venues, has now moved to New Delhi and Ahmedabad and today is another mid-week double-header. In the first of the two matches, defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Rajasthan Royals in the national capital.

Here’s how the points table looks like ahead of the afternoon game: