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Turning Point: Bumrah no-balls cost MI

By LAXMI NEGI
April 21, 2021 06:37 IST

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah bowled uncharacteristic no-balls. Photograph: BCCI/IPL
 

Delhi Capitals rallied on the back of Shikhar Dhawan's gutsy batting in their bid to overhaul the target of 138 runs set by Mumbai Indians in Tuesday's IPL match in Chennai.

After losing the early wicket of Prithvi Shaw (7), Steve Smith (33) and Dhawan (45) stitched together a crucial partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Mumbai made them dig deep once again, but Shimron Hetmyer (14) ushered Delhi home in a low-scorer at the Chepauk, where Delhi hadn't won a match since IPL 2010.

Although Delhi kept losing wickets at regular intervals in the second half of their chase, there was always a set batsman available to ensure there wasn't a collapse.

The Mumbai bowlers failed against an in-form Dhawan and Co. It was stunning to see Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best in the business at the death, bowling uncharacteristic no-balls at crucial moments.

DC need 15 runs when Bumrah came in to bowl the penultimate over.

He nailed the yorker, but it was called a no-ball. Lalit Yadav was caught off that free-hit and DC got just a single.

Bumrah floundered as he bowled another no-ball. He had Hetmyer caught off the free-hit too! It was a bizarre over for Mumbai, but it proved to be an excellent over for Delhi. No boundaries were conceded, but Bumrah gave away 10 runs.

The pressure was eased as Delhi needed five runs in the final over. DC won a nail-biter by six wickets, as Hetmyer and Yadav saw the IPL 2020 runners-up reach the finishing line off 19.1 overs.

While DC will be high on confidence after back-to-back wins, MI will need to sort out their batting woes.

LAXMI NEGI / Rediff.com

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