Mumbai Indians entered their second successive IPL finals after a strong showing in Qualifier 1. After being sent in to bat first, the strong MI batting line-up posted 200 runs on the board, with Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya all raising their game. In reply, Delhi could just manage 143 runs on the board, and will now play the Qualifier 2 against the winners of the match between SRH and RCB.
Here are the talking points from the MI vs DC game.
What has happened to Rabada?
The South African was on fire in the first half of the edition, picking up 21 wickets in the first 11 games. In the process, he created a unique record as well – that of picking up at least a wicket in 23 straight IPL matches. However, he has erred in his line and lengths in the last few games, with his figures reading 0 for 54, 0 for 27, 2 for 30 and 0 for 42 in his last four matches. His poor run also coincides with Delhi’s poor run in the league – their loss to Mumbai was their fifth in six matches.
Rabada leaked runs aplenty in the death, which allowed the duo of Hardik and Kishan to pick up 60 runs in just 23 deliveries, which took the total to 200. The youngster desperately needs to get back to his fiery best if Delhi want to enter the finals.
Rishabh Pant’s average season continues
A number of Indian wicket-keepers have left a mark in IPL 2020 – including Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Wriddhiman Saha and KL Rahul – but one name missing from the list is Rishabh Pant. The youngster has racked up more than 350 runs in the edition in the last three seasons, including scoring 684 runs in 2018, but he has looked woefully short on confidence this year. He has scored just 285 runs this season with just seven sixes and a high score of 38, and what has been most worrying has been his strike rate. Pant had struck at over 162 in each of his last three seasons of the league, but has a strike rate of just 109.61 this year. The Delhiite has not played his natural game and the pressure of batting higher up the order seems to have affected him. His fitness has been criticized as well, and the result is that Pant has not been selected in the Indian team that will tour Australia later this month.
About last night 🤯
Lowest score at the fall of third wicket in IPL
0 – DC v MI at Dubai, 2020
1 – DEC v CSK at East London, 2009
1 – KTK vs Deccan at Kochi, 2011
3 – RR vs Deccan at Port Elizabeth, 2009
3 – CSK vs MI at Kolkata, 2013
3 – KKR vs RCB at Abu Dhabi, 2020#MIvDC— Stat Doctor🩺 (@stat_doctor) November 6, 2020
Marcus Stoinis – the X-factor for DC
Delhi has some of the biggest names in the side, including Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Pant and Shimron Hetmyer. However, it has been Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis who has stood out for his fearless batting and his temperament to finish off games. With 314 runs at a strike rate of 50.23, Stoinis has led the charge with the bat and has risen to the occasion whenever his team has been in trouble.
He scored 53 in just 21 balls against Kings XI Punjab after his side had slumped to 96 for 6 and then came to the rescue again against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai, smashing a quick 53 in 26 deliveries after the team had lost 3 wickets for just 22 runs. Against MI, he walked out to bat with the scorecard reading 20 for 4, and played a counter attacking innings of 65 in 46 to give his team some respectability.
Paltan, this is what your captain said after that thumping! #Dream11IPL #MIvsDC #MI #mumbaiindians #mipaltan #RohitSharma #Bumrah #SKY #Kishan #Pandya #cricketnews pic.twitter.com/dUzjlRTpJp
— Cricket News (@cricketnews_com) November 5, 2020