Playing only his second IPL match of the 2021 season, Amit Mishra spun a brilliant web around Mumbai Indians’ batting order as the defending champions were restricted to 137/9 on Tuesday night in Chennai.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in Delhi’s first match at the venue this season but despite MI having played three games at the Chepauk already, it was DC who came out better prepared, bringing in Amit Mishra and Shimron Hetmyer in place of pacers Lukman Meriwala and Chris Woakes.
Delhi started with a new plan on the day with Marcus Stoinis opening the bowling against Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock. The first over went for 6 runs but when Stoinis returned, he picked the big wicket of the South African wicket-keeper on 1, caught-behind by Rishabh Pant.
Rohit Sharma though continued scoring at a steady pace, smashing sixes off Ashwin, Rabada and Avesh Khan over the next few overs. Suryakumar fell in the seventh over, also caught by Rishabh Pant, off Avesh Khan on 24.
The ninth over is when Mishra started his wicket-taking run, getting both Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya out and the team was reduced to 77/4.
Krunal Pandya scored 1 and Kieron Pollard made 2 before returning to the dressing room and Mumbai were in deep trouble, reduced to 84/6 after 12 overs.
Jayant Yadav and Ishan Kishan then steadied things, also scoring 39 runs off 34 deliveries but their resistance was ended by Mishra when he picked the wicket of Ishan Kishan on 26.
Mumbai lost Jayant and Rahul Chahar’s wickets in the next two overs as the defending champions were restricted to 137/9.
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