IPL 2020: Match 51 – MI vs DC – Who Said What

The 51st match of the Indian Premier League saw action between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. While Mumbai were sitting in a bit comfort after their qualification, Delhi had to give their best shot. However, MI crushed Delhi by nine wickets. Batting first, DC lacked the sheer intent to put up a respectable game. With failing opening and middle-order, the team was able to put a meager total of 110 on the board.

Ishan Kishan was named as the player of the match to take MI over the line like a hero. Shreyas Iyer(25 off 29) and Rishabh Pant (21 off 24) just collected a handful of runs for their team. Now, much can’t be blamed on DC’s batters when the duo of Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah didn’t leave an inch of the room for big shots. They bowled just on point to pick three wickets each for their team in the due process.

While chasing a below ordinary total, Ishan Kishan and Quinton de Kock flagged off in a way where not much was left for other batsmen. While De Kock added 26 runs, Kishan was in the mood to give Mumbai a gigantic victory. He smashed 72* off 47 to take Mumbai over the line. All the bowlers were hammered by Kishan and Anrich Nortje just got one wicket on his name.

Losing skipper, Shreyas Iyer said

Obviously, we fell short of reading the wicket. We weren’t upto the mark right from the start and those wickets in the Powerplay took down the momentum from us. It was important for a few us to come and build a few partnerships but it happened in bits and pieces. There are lots of flaws to be pointed out to, but we gotta believe in ourselves and be strong-headed, also be positive. You can’t anticipate how it’s (the pitch) going to play right from the start. Openers being there, it was important to get a good start, once you get the momentum, you can build on later. I feel 150 or 160 was a good total on such wickets. We’ll have to think about it (changes to the line-up) and be fearless in our approach. We’ll keep things simple and will not try to think much. It’s going to be do or die for both teams (about the next game) depending on how RCB play tonight.

Winning skipper, Kieron Pollard said

It’s 16 off 17. Bumrah with the new ball, I kept delaying him, and in this kind of track it was more useful to bowl him in the middle. He kept looking at me, and wanted to bowl in the powerplay. We wanted to bowl spinners in the powerplay with some grip on offer. Ishan has gotten better in every game, and once he gets going, he’s hard to get rid of. He didn’t even start, Ishan, in the playing XI, came to No. 4 and then came out to open and just blew us away. Rohit is getting better and hopefully he’ll be back soon. We need to play another couple of good games and get to the finally. This isn’t supposed to be our year (even number), but it’s been working for us so far.

Player of the match, Ishan Kishan said

It was not as easy as it looked. The ball wasn’t coming on so I had to keep rotating the strike and then take them apart later. It all depends on the practice sessions, and how you train I wanted to keep my shape and hit sixes. My mom must get the credit for the food she gives me, that makes me so powerful, and sometimes even I’m surprised how my sixes carry such a long way. My coaches told me that playing shots on the off-side is important, and that wasn’t my strength initially, and I knew, even Rahul sir told me that I need to work on my off-side shots. I enjoy batting everywhere, wherever the management wants me to bat. At this level you have to be able to adapt.