6.08 pm That's that from Sharjah. Let's take you over to Abu Dhabi where Chennai are batting first against Rajasthan. Goodbye for now.
Axar Patel is the player of the match. Says: "I am able to read the batter more easily and can plan better. If I can think about what the batter is doing and deny them the ideal ball, I can be more successful. (On de Kock's wicket) I thought he would go for the slog sweep or through cover. That's why I hung it out there for him to hit. I think there's no need to experiment when some of the simple things are working better."
6 pm The presentation follows now. Rishabh Pant: "In Sharjah, the wicket always plays differently. Yes, it's a hard-fought victory. We were planning to bowl mostly the fast bowlers in the powerplay. Easier for the spinner in these tracks. I held back one over of Ashwin to keep him away from Pollard and Hardik. Avesh is the find of the season for us, but at Delhi Capitals, we learn from our mistakes and pick up. We have to solidify our batting. Stoinis should be fine in a few days, and that will be good for us. You can't always go for it, but someone has to be aggressive in the powerplay."
Mustafa Moudi: "Fun Fact: In the Last 2 matches (KKR vs PBKS and this match) - Both PBKS and DC have successfully avenge their Losses in Final of the IPLs partially or completely held in UAE (2014 and 2020)."
Ritesh Sharma: "Last ball of the both innings, Krunal and Ashwin hit sixes off each other's delivery. "
Shreyas Iyer: "I felt really amazing to bat through and take my team through. It was a low scoring game. I backed myself and my instincts. I knew I would win the game for the team. (On Ashwin's role) He came in and was really positive. He wanted to take singles, and that went to the last two overs. He decided he would take the bowlers on during the last two overs. The transition in the last two years has happened. Since 2019, we have shifted that towards our team. We try to implement that within the dressing room. We try to be humble, and we try to ensure whoever's day it is, he makes sure the team wins the game. (On the first championship and how they can get there) Once we are in these close games, we have to finish them. Every two points matter. If we finish in the top two, we have that opportunity to play that one game and make the final."
Rohit Sharma speaks: "We knew it will be a difficult venue. We watched a lot of matches, and it's not the easiest venues to play and make a lot of runs. We were well prepared and we knew what we had to do. I thought we didn't bat well enough. We knew it wasn't a 170-180 wicket, but we knew it was a 140 wicket. We just didn't get the partnerships going. If your batters aren't going to post runs on the board, it will be difficult to win games. I personally accept that. We're not able to execute in the middle, which is particularly disappointing. We are not playing to our potential. Hopefully in the next two games, we play the way we are known for."
5.46 pm An engrossing contest, as you would expect from these fabulous teams. To be fair to Mumbai, this was their first outing in Sharjah this season. Not the easiest of pitches at the best of times, and this was a pretty high-intensity encounter for them to be a part of. Delhi bowled magnificently, and in hindsight, Rishabh Pant's flamboyant knock early on also helped set the chase up well. Shreyas Iyer was extremely composed in the middle right through. Allowed the likes of Hetmyer, Axar Patel and Ashwin to go for runs at the other end. Fabulous swipe across the line from Ashwin to end the game
anushree: "please make mention of Iyers innings, calm " --- Calm. And canny
Plenty of chatter ahead of the final over. And why not. How often do you get to defend four off six?
Samu: "@Sarvagya: Mumbai won 3 trophies in which they hardly looked like the best team, and so did about half of other champions. Very simply, Cricket is half-reliable and half-unpredictable."
Krunal Pandya needs to defend three to take this to the Super Over
END OF OVER:19 | 7 Runs | DC: 126/6 (4 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.63, RRR: 4.00)
- Ravichandran Ashwin14 (20b)
- Shreyas Iyer33 (33b)
- Trent Boult4-0-24-1
- Jasprit Bumrah4-0-29-1
sarvagya: "mumbai will not win this game as today is not their day mumbai will also not make it to the playoffs as this is not their year"
Boult gets the 19th over. He goes around the wicket
Sham: "Will MI be out of Play off contention if they lose out this game ? Or on what upcoming results will they depend on ?" --- Not out of it, but it does make things difficult for them. Far too many other teams who are around them and will have games in hand, and will still have a superior net run rate
END OF OVER:18 | 8 Runs | DC: 119/6 (11 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.61, RRR: 5.50)
- Shreyas Iyer30 (31b)
- Ravichandran Ashwin10 (16b)
- Jasprit Bumrah4-0-29-1
- Nathan Coulter-Nile4-0-19-1
R Balaji: "But for Ashwin, DC would have won this already. Time for him to correct it "
Rohit going to Bumrah now, from the look of things. A chance to close the game out. But Delhi will know that they can ride this out and keep themselves in it
END OF OVER:17 | 6 Runs | DC: 111/6 (19 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.52, RRR: 6.33)
- Ravichandran Ashwin8 (14b)
- Shreyas Iyer24 (27b)
- Nathan Coulter-Nile4-0-19-1
- Trent Boult3-0-17-1
Shiv G: "Mature inning from Shreyas, regardless of result, Credit to him for standing tall in the chase, else MI, who is known for such heist, would have been all over DC."
Saf: "@Mumbai fans, you have your 5 titles but we want this 2 points, that's it"
Nathan Coulter-Nile into the attack now. His final over as well
