Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals to open account in IPL 2023

Captain Rohit Sharma’s 45-ball 65 and veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla’s three for 22 in four overs helped Mumbai Indians (MI) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish for their first win in the Indian Premier League 2023 season, here at the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds of the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

While this was MI’s first win, DC recorded their fourth successive loss of the season and it kept them at the bottom of the table.

Batting first, Capitals scored a competitive 172 which was built largely on captain David Warner’s composed 47-ball 51 and a 25-ball 54-run blitz from all-rounder Axar Patel.

Opener Prithvi Shaw couldn’t get going again (15 off 10 balls) but Warner and Manish Pandey (26 off 18) helped provide a platform to the Capitals with a 43-run partnership for the second wicket after the first had realised 33.

DC were expected to step on the gas but quick wickets, triggered by Chawla, reduced them to 98 for five in the 13th over. Patel, however, took the attack to the opposition with five sixes and four fours to take the team to 165 at the end of the 18th over.

DC squandered the opportunity yet again and could add only seven more before being bowled out for 172.

In reply, MI started on a strong note with Sharma and Ishan Kishan (31 off 26 balls) adding 71 in just over seven overs. Tilak Varma then came in and hit 41 off 29 balls with four sixes.

The two partnerships – 71 for the first wicket and 58 for the second wicket put MI on track of a convincing win. Three quick wickets in the space of six balls, including a first-ball duck of Suryakumar Yadav, put the brakes on MI.

Even then the target of 26 from 18 balls looked attainable for the visiting side. But a couple of tight overs from Anrich Nortje brought the game to the last ball.

Tim David, however, managed to score the two required off the last ball from Nortje.