‘They completely lost the plot’ – Saba Karim questions Delhi Capitals’ death bowling strategy

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim criticized the bowling of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 63rd match of IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) at the Wankhede Stadium, which potentially not only cost them the match but also knocked them out of the season. The Jiostar expert wondered why the DC pacers opted for faster deliveries at the death when the slower ones, changes of pace, and knuckle balls had been working for them.

Karim felt that the DC bowlers completely lost the plot and leaked a lot of runs at the death. In fact, Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera, who bowled the 19th and 20th overs for DC, conceded 27 and 21 runs respectively in the last two overs, which played a huge role in MI gaining momentum in the match. Karim believed that sticking to the slower ones would have helped their cause.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Why would Mukesh Kumar bowl four express deliveries in the 19th over, when throughout the match it was the slower ones, the knuckle balls, the change of pace that had worked so well for DC? They completely lost the plot, and that’s why they leaked so many runs at the end. The same happened in the 20th over. Dushmantha Chameera tried to bowl yorkers when there was no real need. Sticking to slower deliveries and variations would’ve likely produced a much better result," Karim said in the Star Sports dugout.

While he criticised the way the DC bowlers operated, the former Indian cricketer gave credit to the way Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir batted in the middle. Saba Karim felt the Indian skipper was far ahead of the other batters in the match, whether in his thought process, calculated approach, or his methods of scoring on a difficult surface.

"On a track that looked difficult for most batters, it just shows the gulf in quality between Suryakumar Yadav and everyone else, not just from his team but also from DC’s lineup. He was way ahead in terms of thought process, methodical, calculative. He’s said it often, he waits for the big over, and that came in the 19th, which he carried into the 20th," Karim added.

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Suryakumar Yadav’s patience is what sets him apart: Karim

While he felt Dhir played a fine hand in the end, Karim added that it was Yadav's knock that took the match away from DC. He noted that this wasn’t something new, as viewers were used to seeing him deliver such performances in challenging conditions. Karim concluded by saying that everyone at the Wankhede wanted him to fire.

"Naman Dhir gave good support, but SKY’s patience is what sets him apart. This was a special knock. We’ve seen him do it time and again when the pitch has been challenging. Today was another one of those nights — and not just his team, the whole Wankhede wanted him to fire," Karim concluded.

Jadeja lauds Santner's bowling brilliance

Besides, another member of the Star Sports dugout, Ajay Jadeja, praised the spell of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 3 for 11 in his 4 overs. The Jiostar expert felt Santner read the conditions well and applied himself by mixing deliveries with proper pace and those that went with the arm to trouble the batters.

"On a day when the other two spinners conceded 47 runs in four overs, Santner’s spell of 3 for 11 shows how well he bowled and how effectively he read the game. It’s never just about the conditions — it’s about how you use them. The standout aspect of his bowling was his consistency, mixing deliveries that spun with those that went on with the arm," Jadeja said.