IPL 2018: Mumbai run out of miracles and other talking points as Delhi Daredevils end the Indians season

Alex Broun 20:18 20/05/2018
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  • Joy for Delhi - despair for Mumbai

    In yet another thrilling encounter in IPL 2018, the Delhi Daredevils got some revenge on bitter rivals Mumbai Indians, ending their season with a heart-stopping 11-run victory at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground.

    Here we look at some of the talking points from the game:

    ONE MIRACLE TOO MANY FOR MUMBAI

    The Indians looked like pulling off yet another great escape after Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting brought them back from the brink with a swash-buckling 37 runs off 20 balls to leave them needing just 12 runs off the final five balls.

    But just when it looked like the Indians would steal into the play-offs the tall Queenslander mis-cued a hoik down the ground off Harshal Patel and was caught by his Australian team mate Glenn Maxwell.

    Ben Cutting almost saved Mumbai

    Ben Cutting almost saved Mumbai

    Cutting however can’t be blamed as his lone hand almost rescued the Indians after they seemed dead and buried at 7 for 122 in the 14th over.

    The target of 175 was very gettable on a fast pitch with a bone dry outfield and it was the failure of the batsmen up the order who must bare the brunt.

    Ishan Kishan (5), Kieron Pollard (7), Rohit Sharma (13) and Krunal Pandya (4), batting in the key positions No3 to No6, contributed just 29 runs between them from 34 balls. once again heaping pressure on the batsmen late in the innings.

    Despite Cutting’s best efforts, this time Mumbai ran out of miracles.

    RISHABH PANT SHINES AGAIN

    It is certainly no fault of the elegant left-hander that Delhi collected the wooden spoon.

    Pant was the top scorer in the preliminary rounds with 684 runs from 14 matches (SR: 173.6), including a superb 128 not out against the Sunrisers off just 63 balls – the highest score of the tournament to date.

    He is also did a tidy job for Delhi behind the stumps.

    If the rest of his team mates had performed anywhere like Pant, Delhi would be preparing for the playoffs now – not preparing holiday plans.

    WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

    Both Mumbai and Delhi will be sitting with heads hung low this evening.

    The Daredevils were desperate to be the party-pooper for the Mumbai Indians, which they achieved, but they will take little consolation from that as the last two matches have simply shown what they could have achieved.

    Delhi have defeated the playoffs bound Chennai as well as Mumbai in their last two matches, and if they had performed at these levels earlier in the tournament who knows where they may have finished.

    Similarly Mumbai who lost five of their first six matches, simply leaving themselves too much to do.

    The Indians know they could have gone all the way except for their slow start.

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